Subjectivity In Psychology In The Era Of Social Justice

The notion of social justice permeates much of current Western political and cultural discourse with a newfound urgency. What it means to be socially just is a question Morris et al investigate and interrogate, looking at psychology’s contributions to the subject and considering the practicality of social justice in light of modern subjectivity. The book begins by examining the lack of equity and inclusivity in education and the ways in which psychology has been complicit in the margninalization of oppressed groups. Drawing upon Lacanian theory, it goes on to discuss how diversity initiatives take on an obsessive-neurotic characteristic that can stifle those it claims to understand and promote .The authors investigate the anxiety around the performance of being socially just or "woke" and suggest how psychology can contribute to the development of socially just humans, more attuned to the needs of others, through the appreciation of interconnectivity and compassion. An imperative text for scholars and students of philosophical and theoretical psychology, critical psychology, social psychology, psychoanalysis, social work, and education.

This is a critical, personalized approach to reframing the discipline of psychology through a singular narrative in the form of a memoir written by a successful research psychologist. In this book we follow Martin’s unique career, which has allowed him to understand and adopt different perspectives and ways of approaching psychology, from working in applied areas like educational and counseling psychology to more specialized areas like theory and history of psychology. His journey through and within the field describes his movement away from scientifically based psychology, which views teachings and interventions to be primarily underwritten by hard scientific evidence. Martin exposes the flaws in this approach and highlights the importance of focusing on the study of persons in their life contexts over the use of aggregated group results to ensure that the discipline survives and flourishes. This is an impactful and universally applicable book with valuable insights for students and scholars of psychology today, particularly those studying history of psychology, theoretical psychology, and philosophical psychology.

In this set of insightful essays, the concept of the psychological humanities is defined and explored. A clear rationale is provided for its necessity in the study and understanding of the individual and identity in a discipline that is occupied largely by empirical studies that report aggregated data and its analysis. Contributors to this volume are leading scholars in theoretical psychology who believe that psychology must be about persons and their lives. In these essays, they draw from a variety of disciplines that include art, literature, life writing, and history to make a case for the psychological humanities. A final chapter provides a critical commentary on the value of the psychological humanities. The chapter argues that psychology must draw on the knowledge and practices of the humanities, as well as the sciences and social sciences, in order to attain a greater understanding of personhood. This book is aimed at upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate students and scholars of psychology, particularly theoretical psychology, philosophy of the mind, and those from a humanities background interested in exploring the concept of the psychological humanities.

This broad-ranging introduction to the diverse strands of critical psychology explores the history, practice and values of psychology, scrutinises a wide range of sub-disciplines, and sets out the major theoretical frameworks.

"The twentieth century witnessed not only the devastation of war, conflict, and injustice on a massive scale, but also the emergence of social psychology as a discipline committed to addressing these and other social problems. In the twenty-first century, the promise of social psychology remains incomplete. We witness the reprise of authoritarianism and the endurance of institutionalized forms of oppression such as sexism, racism, and heterosexism across the globe. This volume represents an audacious proposal to reorient social psychology toward the study of social injustice in real-world settings. Contributors cross borders between cultures and disciplines to highlight new and emerging critical paradigms that interrogate the consequences of social injustice. United in their belief in the possibility of liberation from oppression, the authors of this book offer a blueprint for a new kind of social psychology." --

This book utilizes cultural psychology as a cultural theory and psychological theory capable of explaining and improving social issues. In particular Vygotsky’s cultural-historical psychology, and Ratner’s macro-cultural psychology are invoked to explain racism and mitigate it. This explanation of, and solution to, racism are utilized as a framework for analyzing and refining contemporary movements for racial justice. Among the topics discussed: Macro cultural psychology and Vygotsky’s Marxist cultural-historical psychology Differentiating psychological racism from economic racism Historical examples of racism during American slavery which reveal their cultural and psychological features Cultural-psychological analysis and refinement of Black Lives Matter, racial capitalism, intersectionism, and Ta-Nehishi Coates’ work Cultural Psychology, Racism, and Social Justice will be of interest to the fields of social policy, social transformation, psychological theory, cultural theory, and history.

Increasingly there have been more and more challenges to received notions of psychological thought and practice. No longer satisfied with old-fashioned positivist approaches, psychologists are following other social sciences in their critiques and methods. Psychology, society and Subjectivity traces the history and development of German critical psychology. Its author, Charles Tolman, charts the initial dissent from mainstream psychology in the late 1960s, to the reconstruction of a psychology that is truly for people, not simply one about people. Drawing on the work of leading figures such as Klaus Holzkamp, Psychology, Society and Subjectivity will need to be read by anyone keen to make psychology relevant without sacrificing its rigour.