Pub: ANNUAL REVIEW OF CRITICAL PSYCHOLOGY 8 (2011).

Editorial

"Psychologism, Psychologising and De-Psychologisation" by ÁNGEL GORDO & JAN DE VOS

Part I: Disciplinary, legal and sociocultural overflow: from psycho-logism to psychologisation

"Psychologised life and thought styles" by FERNANDO ÁLVAREZ-URÍA, JULIA VARELA, ÁNGEL GORDO & PILAR PARRA
"Psychologisation processes viewed from the perspective of the regulation of healthcare professions in Spain" by ROBERTO RODRÍGUEZ
"The psychologisation of work: the deregulation of work and the government of will" by EDUARDO CRESPO & AMPARO SERRANO
"Psychologisation and the construction of the political subject as vulnerable object" by KEN MCLAUGHLIN
"Beyond psychologisation: individual and collective naturalising stigmatisations" by RAFAEL GONZÁLEZ
"From the bodhi tree, to the analyst‘s couch, then into the MRI scanner: the psychologisation of Buddhism" by ELLIOT COHEN

Part II: De-psychologising policies/politics

"The rational of an emotional society: a Cartesian reflection" by MARC DE KESEL
"‘Sincerely Yours’‘ – ‘What do you mean?’ Psychologisation as symptom to be taken seriously" by FRANK VAN DE VEIRE
"Je Te mathème!: Badiou‘s de-psychologisation of love" by CARLOS GUILLERMO GÓMEZ CAMARENA
"The disappearance of psychologisation?" by OLE JACOB MADSEN & SVEND BRINKMANN
"Beyond Psychologisation: the Non-Psychology of the Flemish Novelist Louis Paul Boon" by JAN DE VOS
"Rebel Pathologies: from Politics to Psychologisation…and back" by MIHALIS MENTINIS

Download the essays here: http://www.discourseunit.com/arcp/8.htm.

Cfp: "The Critical Potential of Language," Special Issue JOURNAL FUR PSYCHOLOGIE.

Spawned by the linguistic turn, and in psychology specifically by the narrative turn associated with the names of Theodor Sarbin and Jerome Bruner, language became the central focus in many areas of the social sciences. The special issue of the German Journal für Psychologie aims to look behind the curtains of this development to investigate the meaning of language for our understanding of psychic life as the core subject matter of psychological investigations. Specifically, language shall be investigated with respect to its critical potential for psychology in particular and the social sciences more generally. The works of Giambattista Vico and Johann Gottfried Herder mark an important starting point for two different developments in the conceptualization of language. The positivistic approach regards language as a tool, used by actors to communicate. Language is seen to be a specifically human ability, a system to be investigated. It is merely used in order to describe reality, from which it is completely detached. Hence, language is not seen to be actively creating something, but merely an ability to describe and capture reality. In contrast, the aim to define language can also be understood as an investigation into the being-in-the-world of subjects. The major categories such as 'world', 'reality', 'nature', 'humanity' may be counterposed or related to the category 'language', but it seems clear that all categories, including the category ' language', are themselves constructions in language, and can thus only within a particular system of thought be separated from language for relational inquiry. Thus, language is not seen as a passive tool but as the active praxis of subjects to create the world. Fundamental for this understanding are the works of Mikhail Bakhtin. He introduced a new understanding of the 'sign' which is never equivalent to what it signifies, but instead derives its meaning from social convention. Bakhtin, therefore, not only rejects a positivistic understanding of language but also de-individualizes language and renders it a social element which makes possible collaborative action. It was Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky who utilized these insights for psychology by studying the internalization of these social signs in the process of language acquisition. Another point of departure for investigations into language can be found in the works of Karl Marx. His ideas and concepts are present - even though implicitly – in the works of Bakthin as well as the Vygotsky School. Similarly implicit is the way in which Marx treats the phenomenon of language. Most commonly quoted are the Theses on Feuerbach, in which an idealistic understanding of language is countered with a dynamic-dialectical approach. Language is thus rendered as practical consciousness and combines the creative and active character of language with its analytic character. While the above outlines only a few approaches among many to a critical understanding of language, this special issue of the Journal für Psychologie aims at exploring language as a concept that is capable of critique. Is language emancipatory per se, creative, and as such critical? Or do we need a specific concept of language in order to unfold its critical potential? Is it possible to deconstruct existing illusions, ideologies and fetish form by means of language? And most importantly: To what extent is it possible to envision a critical psychology that utilizes the power of language? Abstracts (approx. 2 pages) should be submitted to mdege@clarku.edu no later than August 31, 2010.

Cfp: "Marxism and Psychology," Department of Psychology, University of Prince Edward Island, August 5-7, 2010.

In the history of social thought, it is difficult to find a more divisive figure than Karl Marx. For many, the mere mention of his name conjures up images of totalitarian regimes dominating nearly every aspect of an individual’s existence. Yet for others, Marx’s critique of the capitalist mode of production draws attention to the fact that our beliefs, thoughts, and desires inevitably emerge against the background of specific cultural, historical, and social practices. The purpose of this conference is to bring students, scholars, and activists together to discuss exciting issues at the intersection of Marxism and Psychology. While it is clear that a number of organizations are making important contributions to this area of study, we believe that the time is right to open up a space for students, scholars, and activists from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to reflect on the role that Marxism can play in psychological theory, research, and practice. In bringing together scholars at the forefront of research in Marxism and Psychology, we also hope to give new students and activists an opportunity to interact with individuals who have made significant contributions within this area. By organizing an impressive collection of plenary participants, we hope to foster an environment where students, activists, and scholars can identify potential graduate advisors, research assistants, and participatory investigators. This year, confirmed plenary participants include: John Cromby Raquel Guzzo Lois Holzman Gordana Jovanovic Joel Kovel Athanasios Marvakis Morten Nissen Ian Parker Carl Ratner Hans Skott-Myhre Thomas Teo Biographical information for the plenary participants can be found on the conference website. We welcome submissions for individual papers and panel sessions. For individual papers, please submit an abstract (150-200 words) no later than January 15, 2010. For panel submissions, please include an abstract (150-200 words) for each paper as well as a brief description of the panel (150-200 words). Please submit all materials to marfken@upei.ca. Abstracts should either be in the body of the email or sent as an attachment (DOC or PDF format). For further information, please visit the conference website: http://vre.upei.ca/mprg/

Pub: RADICAL PSYCHOLOGY 7.2 (2008).

• Editorial by Brenda A. LeFrançois
• Theorizing distress: Critical Reflections on Bi-polar and Borderline by Christina Martens
• Stranger Neighbours by Helen Douglas
• Making Bipolar Britney: Proliferating psychiatric diagnoses through tabloid media by Jijian Voronka
• A "Patient-Centred" Path towards Ignoring Patient Rights by Rob Wipond
• We All Go Astray by Leon Redler

Visit the journal's homepage here: http://radicalpsychology.org/vol7-2/index.html.

Cfp: "Overcoming Political Violence, Injustice, and Deprivation," International Society of Political Psychology, Dublin, July 14-17, 2009.

Political psychology covers a wide diversity of approaches and theories. It has close ties to disciplines such as social and cognitive psychology, political science, neuroscience, philosophy, psychoanalysis, history, sociology, communications, international relations, political economy, and formal theory, To address this year’s theme, the Program Chairs seek to create a culture of informed discussion and exchange of ideas focused around dealing with political violence, injustice and deprivation in their many guises. Ireland and Dublin offers an ideal backdrop for our meeting focusing on these topics as Ireland, North and South has been actively facing up to these challenges and developing solutions which offer models for other countries. In the spirit of Irish hospitality, the 2009 ISPP Annual Scientific Meeting aims to create a friendly forum to facilitate constructive dialogue between political psychologists, politicians, and intellectuals, regarding the challenges facing our world. Such collaboration can pave the way toward an improved political psychology, one that not only scrutinizes its progress, but is also able to demonstrate the relevance of our work beyond the academic boarders of our discipline. Proposals are particularly welcomed from junior scholars, members and non-members who share the passion for understanding the psychological underpinnings of politics. In short it’ll be a great time to catch up with old friends, create new ones, challenge some of our ideas and attempt to create solutions to the problems the world currently faces. Further information may be found here: http://ispp.org/meet.html.

Pub: RADICAL PSYCHOLOGY 7 (2008).

• Post Vietnam Syndrome: National Identity, War, and the Politics of Humiliation by Myra Mendible
• Community Participation in Developing Primary Prevention Programs to Enhance Community Well-Being by Jean-Marc Bélanger
• Madness or Illness? by Jason Bernard Claxton
• Psychiatric Slave No More: Parallels to a Black Liberation Psychology by Lauren J. Tenney
• The Psychotic Element in Everyday Group Thinking: Reflections on the Salem Witch Trials by Diana Semmelhack and Larry Ende
• Mere and Divine Madness: Bush, Schreber and the Contexts of Insanity by Mark S. Roberts
• Struggling Against Psychiatry’s Human Rights Violations: An Antipsychiatry perspective by Don Weitz
• “ ‘Are You Sure, Sweetheart, That You Want to Be Well?’ ”: An Exploration Of The Neurodiversity Movement by Kathyrn Boundy

Visit the Radical Psychology homepage here: http://radicalpsychology.org/index.html.

(New) Journal: SUBJECTIVITY (formerly INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRITICAL PSYCHOLOGY).

Subjectivity (previously International Journal of Critical Psychology) is an exciting and innovative transdisciplinary journal in the social sciences. Re-launched by Palgrave Macmillan in 2008, it examines the socio-political, cultural, historical and material processes, dynamics and structures of human experience. Subjectivity has been an important concept for academic research as well as for intervening in social and political life since the 1960s and 1970s. The idea of subjectivity had a catalytic impact in changing the terms of the debate in the social sciences: in anthropology, geography, psychology, sociology, post colonial theory, gender studies, cultural and media studies, social theory as well as the humanities. Subjectivity attempts to capture ongoing debates and activities and to foster a discourse on subjectivity which goes beyond traditional dichotomies between the various disciplines. The journal aims at a re-prioritization of subjectivity as a primary category of social, cultural, psychological, historical and political analysis. It wishes to encourage a variety of transdisciplinary engagements with this topic in theory as well as empirical research, and, accordingly, to advance the potential of engagement with subjectivity/subjectivities as a locus of social change and a means of political intervention. Free access to 22.1 (2008): Editorial: "Creating Subjectivities" by Lisa Blackman, John Cromby, Derek Hook, Dimitris Papadopoulos and Valerie Walkerdine Abstract Full Text PDFTop of page Original Articles: "I Eat an Apple: on Theorizing Subjectivities" by Annemarie Mol Abstract Full Text PDF "Experimenting with Refrains: Subjectivity and the Challenge of Escaping Modern Dualism" by Isabelle Stengers Abstract Full Text PDF "What Divides the Subject? Psychoanalytic Reflections on Subjectivity, Subjection and Resistance" by Lynne Layton Abstract Full Text PDF "Subjectivity or Psycho-Discursive Practices? Investigating Complex Intersectional Identities" by Margaret Wetherell Abstract Full Text PDF "I Just Don't Know What Got into Me: Where is the Subject?" by Nigel Thrift Abstract Full Text PDF "A. N. Whitehead and Subjectivity" by Paul Stenner Abstract Full Text PDF "Intersubjectivity and Intercorporeality" by Thomas J. Csordas Abstract Full Text PDF Visit the journal homepage here: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/sub/index.html.

Majavu, Mandisi. "The Wretched of the Earth: Critical Psychology in the Colonial Context." PAMBAZUKA NEWS May 22, 2007.

Derek Hook (2004) argues that Frantz Fanon’s greatest source of originality as a postcolonial theorist lay in the fact that he combined psychology and politics in his analysis of colonial problems, national liberation and social revolution. For Fanon, psychopathology in the colonial society, or any other oppressive society for that matter, can be characterised as a ‘pathology of liberty’. This means that for a psychological intervention to be sincere and relevant, the psychological services offered would have to play their part in restoring freedom in some meaningful capacity to the sufferer (Hooks 2004). . . .

Read the rest here: http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/41566).