Hi all,

 

(Apologies for cross-posting.)

 

I’m  going to be taking part in a panel entitled “What can American community psychology learn from the rest of the world?” at the biennial Society for Community Research in Action conference in Boston in a couple of weeks. Some of the questions that will be addressed are (to quote from the session abstract):

 

“What is the global pattern of development of CP? Is U.S. community psychology too isolated, insulated from international developments, and self-focused? Is it out-of-touch with pressing global concerns and out-of-sync with CP developments in other parts of the world? What could it gain from greater attention to international issues, cultures, history, political change, and CP theories, research, and interventions in other countries? For example, is U.S. CP too atheoretical? Is it too uncritical in considering the often hidden or taken-for-granted influence of money, media, cultural difference and privilege, status, and other sources of power? Has American CP successfully addressed its own key societal challenges (including racial tensions, inequality, and political impotence/inaction)? How can international cross-cultural fertilization strengthen the field in the U.S. and share U.S. strengths elsewhere?”

 

This is a great opportunity for self-reflection by our US colleagues. I’d like to try to represent other opinions beside my own from the UK perspective. If anyone has any thoughts, please could you email me off-list at [log in to unmask].

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris

 

Chris Barker, PhD

Professor of Clinical Psychology, UCL