Editorial.

Abstract

A rich array of research papers is included in this issue of the journal. First, a special collection of six papers guest-edited by Louis, Amiot, and Thomas (2015) focuses on collective harmdoing. The guest editors provide a critical introduction to this set of papers, and Hagai and Crosby (2015) add a thought-provoking reflection. These papers are all part of a tradition of giving attention to collective processes, rather than just intraindividual processes. This is a turn toward psychological science that gives importance to relationships between people, and not just within individuals. Harmdoing comes about through collective processes that create certain conditions in which individuals feel compelled to conform and obey destructive norms and leadership. This rich set of discussions on collective harmdoing sets the stage for a second set of papers that puts the spotlight on conflicts in Africa and the Middle East.The majority of researching and practicing psychologists live in Western societies. The conflicts and problems addressed in mainstream psychology originate from the conflicts and problems of Western societies, and American society in particular. The United States has been the lone "superpower," the "First World" of psychology for at least half a century, with the other industrialized societies constituting the Second World and the developing societies making up the Third World of psychology. These trends have been discussed in mainstream journals for some time (Moghaddam, 1987), but change toward "appropriate psychology for the Third World" has been very difficult to bring about. The challenge has been to give adequate attention on the part of psychological science to the conflicts and problems of non-Western societies. The editorial board, reviewers, contributors, readers, and also the editor of this journal take this challenge seriously.The next four papers in this issue of the journal concern African societies, the settings being South Africa, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda. Benjamin and Carolissen (2015) explore the trauma experienced by 18 women counselors who have been working in a low-income South African community characterized by fear, danger, and distrust. Parents, teachers, police officers-just about all adults in the community are perceived as impotent and helpless, because they are not able to carry out their normal responsibilities. This study sheds light on how trauma becomes integral to a community, and because it exists in social relationships rather than just within individuals, trauma becomes more resilient and difficult to end. Trauma is also a focus in Preston's (2015) analysis of the experiences of child soldiers in Uganda. A common theme in Benjamin and Carolissen (2015) and Preston (2015) is the transformation of identity through trauma, but also how positive reconstruction of identity is essential for recovery.