Decolonizing Psychological Science: Introduction to the Special Thematic Section

Abstract

Despite unprecedented access to information and diffusion of knowledge across the globe, the bulk of work in mainstream psychological science still reflects and promotes the interests of a privileged minority of people in affluent centers of the modern global order. Compared to other social science disciplines, there are few critical voices who reflect on the Euro-American colonial character of psychological science, particularly its relationship to ongoing processes of domination that facilitate growth for a privileged minority but undermine sustainability for the global majority. Moved by mounting concerns about ongoing forms of multiple oppression (including racialized violence, economic injustice, unsustainable over-development, and ecological damage), we proposed a special thematic section and issued a call for papers devoted to the topic of "decolonizing psychological science". In this introduction to the special section, we first discuss two perspectives—liberation psychology and cultural psychology—that have informed our approach to the topic. We then discuss manifestations of coloniality in psychological science and describe three approaches to decolonization—indigenization, accompaniment, and denaturalization—that emerge from contributions to the special section. We conclude with an invitation to readers to submit their own original contributions to an ongoing effort to create an online collection of digitally linked articles on the topic of decolonizing psychological science.

Indonesian Students’ Representation on Psychology and Social Change: Challenge for Curriculum Progression

“…In addition to this response, while the urgent social problems in their eyes lie in the educational and children life field, when we linked with the answer "change the self, change the mindset" they give to the question of "Concrete Approach from a Stand Point of Psychology", it appears that the psychology students in Java consistently mainly, if not the singly, remember individual or interpersonal approach as the approaches to solve social problems. However, mental health and educational fate are still not yet seen as products of socio-political-cultural forces that operate in a society [15] [16].…”

“…they have not yet weightily realized or incorporated the concept of "hegemonic psychological science" cf. [15] (p. 222) or "meta-colonialism" cf. [15] (p. 221) in the psychological field that they learn in the university.…”

“…[15] (p. 222) or "meta-colonialism" cf. [15] (p. 221) in the psychological field that they learn in the university. Borrowing the term "naïve realism", participants in this study tend to fully accept without being critical of the existing psychological concepts and theories and view them as the natural standard on how they will come up with idea and motivation to initiate a social change.…”

Edição Completa

“…They counteract the idea of a linear history and base themselves in the proposal in which contemporaneity is simultaneity. In other words, colonial/modern scientific knowledge is not, necessarily, the best nor the most advanced, yet it is contemporary, simultaneous and as much important as the other knowledge/wisdoms that have been historically disqualified, devalued, silenced, wiped out from global social imaginary (Adams et al 2015;Parker 2015;Paredes-Canilao et al 2015;Santos & Menses 2010;Lander 2005).…”

“…Approved on November 7, 2016. Translated by Vitória Kramer knowledge production that attends to urgent local demands, despite the colonial/modern western capitalist domination (Adams et al 2015;Parker 2015Parker , 2009Paredes-Canilao et al 2015;Dargenos et al 2013;Santos & Menses 2010;Darfenos et al 2006;Lander 2005;Martín-Baró 2009a.…”