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“The LGBTQIA+ community”, like all social groupings, is moulded by dialectical forces: inclusivity/exclusivity, belonging/non-belonging, sameness/difference. Literature on it is riddled with dichotomous conflicts over (dis)identification and (anti)relationality in theory, lived experiences, and political mobilisation. Dominant discourses tend to overlook intersectional complexities therein, focus on labels over interactions, and reiterate a framing of the LGBTQIA+ as inherently vulnerable. The gaps point to a need for a more open and reparative investigation that creates space for exploring and (re)negotiating the assumed coalition. This study investigated what diverse groups of queer-identified individuals experienced when sharing their lived accounts of “sameness and difference” with others. Twenty-one people each participated in one of four focus groups and in a follow-up interview were invited to reflect on their experience. Decolonial Intersectional Narrative Analysis (Boonzaier, 2019) and a Bakhtinian-dialogical analysis (Grossen & Salazar Orvig, 2011) were used to inspect the “what” and the “how” of the group dialogues, respectively. Participants recounted significant experiences of sameness and difference that both foregrounded and transcended their particular intersectional identities. Moments/relationships of being treated as more an object than a full subject, due to divergence from certain monoglossic gendered/sexed/sexual norms (both intra- and extra-communally), were conarrated as keys to ongoing queer abjection. Participants expressed that dialoguing in this particular setting was an experience of coming-out-of-isolation, intersubjective learning, and strengthening senses of self and community. Future research and activism are encouraged to invest in accessible open dialogue as a site itself for LGBTQIA+ community-building in South Africa and beyond.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment uses the theory of deconstruction to reflect on some discourses that underlie the practices of psychology and psychiatry. The language of the psychological professions is analysed in terms of its political implications. A number of linguistic power hierarchies that are central to the practice of psychology are deconstructed: the individual and the social, reason and unreason, normality and pathology, form and content, theoretical categories and real life, professional and lay views, and non-psychotic and psychotic language. The concepts of justice (as understood within the Derridian paradigm) and care are analysed, with specific emphasis on their practical implications in the interactions between therapists and patients in real life psychotherapeutic situations. This deconstructive process takes place in the intersection of my own story as an intern clinical psychologist with the stories of some of the patients I ' have worked with during this year. The outcome of this process is a deepening and broadening of the meaning of providing just and respectful mental health .' care to every patient. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk benut die teorie van dekonstruksie om te reflekteer oor sommige van die diskoerse onderliggend in sielkundige en psigiatriese praktyk. Die taal van die sielkundige professies word ontleed in terme van moontlike politieke implikasies. Daar is 'n dekonstruksie van 'n paar magshiërargieë wat sentraal staan tot die taal van die sielkunde: die individu en die samelewing, rasionaliteit en irrasionaliteit, normaliteit en patologie, vorm en inhoud, teoretiese kategorieë en "die regte lewe", professionele en leke-posisies, en die taal van nie-psigotiese en psigotiese pasiënte. Die konsepte van geregtigheid (soos verstaan binne 'n Derridiaanse paradigma) en sorg word ontleed, met spesifieke klem op die praktiese implikasies hiervan in die psigoterapeutiese interaksies tussen sielkundige en pasiënt. Hierdie proses van dekonstruksie vind plaas in die kruising tussen my eie storie as intern kliniese sielkundige en die stories van sommige van die pasiënte saam met wie ek hierdie jaar gewerk het. Die gevolg van hierdie proses is 'n verdieping en verbreding van die betekenis van geregtigheid en respek in die sisteem van geestesgesondheidsorg.

A critical psychology perspective (Prilleltensky and Nelson, 2002) advocates for research that focuses on social change, the mutual participation of community stakeholders, and the empowerment of those served. The current study applies this critical psychology perspective to career education programming in a multiculturally diverse rural high school. This manuscript illustrates the collaborative development, implementation, and evaluation of the "Project HOPE" career education program. Case study methodology is used to examine the effects of the program congruent with a critical psychology paradigm. Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994; 2000) variables of math/science self-efficacy, vocational skills self-efficacy, math/science outcome expectations and intentions, and math/science interests among rural eighth grade middle school students were examined via a pre and post-test design. Additionally, focus group and student evaluation data provide information on how the collaborative development and implementation was experienced.

Freie Univ., Diss. u.d.T.: Aumann, Gerlinde: Psychoanalyse und kritische Psychologie--Berlin, 2002.

Although there is an increase in publications on the topic of cultural responsiveness in school psychology, the research literature does not interrogate the discourse around cultural responsiveness and the modes of practices it enables. Using a preexisting dataset featuring interviews with 15 school psychologists, I analyzed the discursive formations characterizing the talk about cultural responsiveness. Data analysis using the critical discursive psychology framework illuminated the presence of cognitivism in participant talk. Critical discourse analysis drawing on Foucauldian theory of power effects revealed the ways in which cognitivism both enabled and constrained the discursive production of ‘culture’ and ‘cultural responsiveness’. Culture became a primarily cognitive concept (beliefs, values, and tendencies of various groups), and cultural responsiveness came to be a rational non-discriminatory form of decision making process oriented toward individualistic and micro-level forms of practices that had institutional sanction. Implications and recommendations for further research are discussed.

Aim: Motherhood is placed under a lens by society: mothers are expected to fit within narrowly defined characteristics which dictate who mothers should be and how they should act. Although there are numbers of articles that explore this issue, little attention has been paid to how health professionals, and clinical psychologists in particular, position themselves in relation to societal ideas about motherhood. The research aims to define the discursive resources used by Clinical Psychologists (CPs) to construct the shapes and identities of motherhood, and to explore how these resources were deployed. Method: A discourse analysis approach is employed. Data came from 3 focus group interviews (N=9), which were set up in order to explore motherhood and mothers. Participants were all qualified CPs working within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the UK. The research is positioned within a social constructionist frame and takes a critical realist position. The analysis includes elements of both discursive psychology and critical discourse analysis, filtered through a postmodern feminist lens. Findings: A number of discursive practices and identity positions around womanhood and motherhood were highlighted and a set of interlinked dilemmas emerged for women around how to be a woman and how to be a mother. A further dilemma emerged for CPs which encompassed how they worked with women, and what positions they took when doing so. Womanhood and motherhood appeared to be troubled, which had the potential to oppress mothers attending CAMHS. Female CPs were included within this trouble, however, which created interesting juxtapositions within the deployment of discursive resources. Finally, some positive discursive practices were identified which highlighted acceptance and tolerance of pluralities of being a woman and being a mother. Implications: Reflection, deconstruction and an opening up of the debate were seen to be useful devices in helping psychologists to expose potentially oppressive practices. Politicisation of psychology was also explored.

Thesis advisor: David L. Blustein / Drawing upon their professional history embracing a social justice perspective in psychology, counseling psychologists have made substantial attempts to adopt social justice advocacy roles in research, practice, and training. Responding to social justice-oriented scholars’ call to promote mental health by creating positive social change, counseling psychology training programs across the United States have integrated principles of social justice work into the training of future counseling psychologists since the early 2000s. While previous literature has provided thought-provoking discussions on conceptual aspects of social justice advocacy as well as advocacy training, these studies mostly reflected the voices of psychologists in academia; therefore, advocacy work of those in clinical practice has been neglected. In addition, practical outcomes of social justice training in counseling psychology have not received enough scholarly attention. In an attempt to address these concerns, the present study has utilized a qualitative research methodology to explore the advocacy experiences of licensed clinicians who were trained in social justice-oriented counseling psychology doctoral programs. Specifically, I have employed a narrative inquiry method to analyze the interviews with 11 counseling psychologists across the United States. Using critical psychology as the theoretical framework of this study, interviews focused on participants’ personal and professional narratives, training experiences, and the factors that affect their engagement in advocacy roles in clinical work. In addition to the inspiring ways of advocacy in psychological practice, narratives of the participants depicted resources and challenges regarding incorporating an advocacy agenda into clinical practice. These factors have significantly shaped participants’ involvement in advocacy, indicating that counseling psychologists continue to grapple with systemic barriers which at times limit their advocacy actions— particularly macro-level advocacy. Implications for social justice research, practice, and training in counseling psychology are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

This thesis critically analyses, reconstructs and deconstructs the Living Educational Theory (LET) approach. It examines, challenges and modifies it, dialectically transforms it and offers a more suitable alternative to it. Whilst LET has not been well received in academia for two decades, this thesis is being written at a point in time when LET has greater recognition and influence. The thesis is composed of three parts. The first part examines and reconstructs the LET approach as a theoretical possibility and a practical methodological and heuristic approach. It introduces the LET approach and its key features, components, intentions and practices. It examines and interrelates the writings of the developers of that approach and its history and development. It also relates that approach to educational, action, reflective practice, practitioner and ontological research and the work and educational development of this author. The second part criticises, deconstructs and transforms the LET approach and proposes an alternative heuristic tool, solution and approach. It criticises the claim of living educational theorists that LET is an improved approach to the theorisation of a human existence and the educational, ontological, professional and epistemological development of practitioners. As well as criticising the new directions which the LET approach has recently taken, it introduces an alternative educational action research heuristic tool and approach that is based on self-dialectical reflective enquiry. The proposed alternative is based on creative and auto-phenomenological writing, self-dialectical and cathartic logging, public blogging and enquiring-within-writing logging into the question: how do I lead a more meaningful existence in the world for myself? It seeks to transform the LET approach into a deeper ontological, auto-phenomenological, and self-therapeutic auto-analysis, self-reevaluation and auto-empowerment. The third part concludes the thesis and reflects on my learning from my engagement with the LET approach and my hopes and intentions for the future.

Thesis (PhD(Psychology))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.