Analytical Strategies of Critical Psychology Estudos De Psicologia, Vol
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Estudos de Psicologia ISSN: 0103-166X estudosdepsicologia@puc- campinas.edu.br Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas Brasil SCHRAUBE, Ernst Why theory matters: Analytical strategies of Critical Psychology Estudos de Psicologia, vol. 32, núm. 3, julio-septiembre, 2015, pp. 533-545 Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas Campinas, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=395351996018 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0103-166X2015000300018 Why theory matters: Analytical strategies of Critical Psychology A importância da teoria : estratégias analíticas da Psicologia Crítica Ernst SCHRAUBE 1 Abstract Based on Critical Psychology from the Standpoint of the Subject the article describes analytical concerns and strategies of critical psychology. In a first step, the development of critical psychologies is located in current discussions on the production of knowledge, and three different typical approaches and major steps toward situated critique as a practice of mutual recognition are delineated. This shift, it is argued, has led to a historically new relevance of critique, and two basic analytical elements of critical research are introduced: Everyday conflictuality as the initiating moment of critique as well as the importance of theory for critical inquiry. On this basis a variety of analytic strategies and concepts are presented which inform Critical Psychology from the Standpoint of the Subject and suggest a constituent move from partial perspectives toward situated generalization. Keywords : Critical Psychology; Psychological theories; Subjectivity. Resumo O artigo descreve preocupações e estratégias analíticas da Psicologia Crítica com base na Psicologia Crítica sob o Ponto de Vista do Sujeito. O primeiro passo consiste em situar o desenvolvimento das psicologias críticas nas discussões atuais sobre a produção de conhecimento e delinear três abordagens típicas diferentes e passos principais para a elaboração da crítica situada como prática de reconhecimento mútuo. Argumenta-se que esta mudança levou a uma pertinência historicamente nova da crítica, e dois elementos analíticos básicos da pesquisa crítica são introduzidos: conflitualidade diária como o momento que inicia a crítica e a importância da teoria para a investigação crítica. Assim, PSYCHOLOGY OF CRITICAL STRATEGIES apresentamos uma variedade de estratégias e conceitos analíticos, informando a Psicologia Crítica do Ponto de Vista do Sujeito e sugerindo um movimento constituinte das perspectivas parciais à generalizaçã o situada. Palavras-chave : Psicologia Crítica; Teorias psicológicas; Subjetividade. Although throughout the history of the for post-1945 conventional Western psychology sciences critique has played an essential role in the until today to incorporate the potential of critique development of knowledge, it remains a struggle into its theory, methodology and research practice. M M M M M 1 Roskilde University, Department of Psychology and Educational Studies. Universitetsvej 1, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark. E-mail: <schra [email protected]>. 533 Estudos de Psicologia I Campinas I 32(3) I 533-545 I julho - setembro 2015 However, from the late 1960s, a plethora of critical fundamentally collective in its orientation, the work psychologies emerged which extensively integrate of Klaus Holzkamp has played a pivotal role in its critique into their approaches. In recent years, these development. First, I situate the development of have developed from more local initiatives toward critical psychology (in a broader sense) in current more systematic interconnected dialogues around discussions on the production of knowledge and the world. Journal special issues, for example, collect delineate three different typical approaches and and trace the development of critical psychologies major steps toward a situated critique as a practice in countries around the globe (Dafermos, Marvakis, of mutual recognition . In connection with this shift, & Triliva, 2006; Dafermos, Marvakis, Mentinis, I argue for a historically new relevance of critique Painter, & Triliva 2013); furthermore the recently and then introduce two basic analytical elements published voluminous “Encyclopedia of Critical of critical research: Everyday conflictuality as the Psychology” (Teo, 2014a) as well as the “Handbook initiating moment of critique as well as the of Critical Psychology” (Parker, 2015) invite mutual importance of theory for critical inquiry. On this basis collaboration and elaborate the fundamental I present a variety of analytic strategies and concepts significance of critique in the development of which inform critical psychology from the psychological knowledge. standpoint of the subject and indicate the As diverse as the various critical approaches constituent move from partial perspectives toward may appear, through acknowledging that human situated generalization. life in the contemporary world is inherently conflictual, they also share a common analytical Toward situated critique as a practice of concern leading them to reject measuring the mutual recognition human mind, thinking in scales, or categorizing and regulating individual behavior as the most suitable Over the past decades, a fundamental approach to psychological issues. Instead, they call epistemological shift from a god’s eye view toward for engaging in the development of a substantial situated knowledge has crystallized in the theory analytical vocabulary capable of exploring and of science and the understanding of the practice of collectively locating everyday conflictuality in its developing scientific knowledge. The idea of social and material relations as a basis for realizing conducting scientific research from an external, the possibilities for change. The concept abstract and universalistic perspective, disconnected “concientization”, for example, articulates this from specific historical and societal relations is now shared analytical concern focusing, as Guzzo (2014) challenged. Scholars realize their research activities explains, on “the process of becoming aware of and practices of developing knowledge do not occur something” (p.300). Or in the words of Martín-Baró in a social vacuum, but are rooted in the world , a (1994): “ Concientización … [involves] a move [of world involving other human beings as well as people toward] a critical understanding of societal relations, culture, technology and nature. themselves as well as their world and where they Through their research and production of stand in it” (p.39). knowledge, researchers are not only participating In the following I present some analytical in the creation of the social world, but also view strategies and concepts for “processes of becoming the social world in turn as affecting their research aware of” from a specific perspective of critical practices, including their theories, concepts, E. E. SCHRAUBE psychology and a tradition which, since it radically methodologies as well as their own thoughts, ideas roots its inquiry in the perspectives and standpoints and conduct of life. of human subjects, describes itself as a Psychology Especially Science Studies contribute to an from the Standpoint of the Subject. This direction appreciation of this epistemological shift. Analyses of critical psychology has its origins in Europe, in this field offer a detailed picture of the fiction of 534 especially in Germany and Denmark, and although scientific research from an external perspective Estudos de Psicologia I Campinas I 32(3) I 533-545 I julho - setembro 2015 disconnected from the sociomaterial realm. As research), the psychological production of historian of science Haraway (1991) explains, this knowledge is structured from a view from above, fiction is a “god trick”, a “view from above, from from an external, scientific third-person standpoint. nowhere” (p.195) and she argues for an In such a perspective, the complex relationships understanding of the “embodied nature of all between humans and the world are reduced to vision” (p.188). In a body of theoretical work as well causal if-then relations and ideas of linear as extensive empirical explorations of the practice determination prescribing an understanding of the of scientific research and the production of world as stimuli creating effects in the individual, knowledge, science studies substantiate how and radically foreshortening human subjectivity. The scientific work is inherently a worldly situated, an human being seems to be solely dependent on embodied, a socially and culturally constructed external factors, merely responding to stimuli. In process (Hess, 1997; Knorr Cetina, 1999; Latour & adopting such an approach, psychology not only Woolgar, 1986; Restivo, 1988). establishes the research position of a distant judging Accordingly, we can identify a move within observer, but also a model of passive research a variety of disciplines in the humanities, social objects - and ultimately completely disregards sciences and natural sciences away from abstract, human subjectivity. The complexity of the socio- infinitive vision toward a socially situated historical world as enacted, experienced and understanding of knowledge which includes a debated by living persons is reformulated in systematic reflection on