In this book we describe, in social context, the history and philosophy of natural-science and human-science psychologies. We highlight the international diversity of thought and practice in Psychology. Addressing broad issues and debates that shift across historical eras and connect earlier and later historical figures, we consider the socio-economic and political context of Psychology, the place of women and diverse cultures in Psychology, assumptions about objectivity and subjectivity in Psychology and the relationship of Psychology to spirituality and religion.
In this book we address the nature of culturally organized belief systems and consider psychological, religious, spiritual and cultural ways of understanding healing. Connected to this inquiry is an examination of how belief systems arise to shape and mediate the expression of our life and sense of who we are. Living with traditional rituals, folklores, metaphors, and symbols this book documents how cultural understanding informs scientific, religious, spiritual and psychological knowledge as well as personal growth and mental health.
This book considers how the mind publicly produces and enfolds itself in being. Refusing to characterize the mind in terms of its dissimilarity with society, yet not accepting the strictly critical project of deconstructing the individual in society, we consider how mind, psyche and self are interpretations in a dialogue that takes place publicly. There are unique implications of this realization of self as mind in public spaces, emancipatory possibilities as interpretations unfold greater and unforeseen meaning. In this collection of papers the authors explore ways that cultural practices and institutions bring forth meanings of mind while limiting the realization of other possibilities. The chapters in this book engage a diversity of theoretical frameworks including hermeneutics, political theory, historiography, philosophy of language and cultural psychology. In the end, the reader is introduced to a number of substantial ways of considering mind’s public location.
