This volume introduces the methodological value of hermeneutic dialogue in the field of theoretical and philosophical psychology. It reflects on the works of Frank Richardson, who has made, and continues to make, seminal contributions to the field, as well as having influenced the work of many of the practitioners engaged in this field today. Each chapter explores a major topic of hermeneutic dialogue and is authored by a scholar whose work has been directly impacted by Richardson's life and research. The chapters illuminate a variety of issues in psychology, such as instrumentalism, individualism, relationality, social ontology, the wisdom of limits, neoliberalism, and the idea that theory is a form of praxis. All contributions in this volume illustrate aspects of theory as practice coming to expression in reflection on theoretical and philosophical psychology and trace some of the implications for psychology, political philosophy, social justice, community, human dignity, and transcendence. This book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of theoretical and philosophical psychology, philosophy of the mind, and personality theories.

Routledge International Handbook of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology is a compilation of works by leading scholars in theoretical and philosophical psychology that offers critical analyses of, and alternatives to, current theories and philosophies typically taken for granted in mainstream psychology. Within their chapters, the expert authors briefly describe accepted theories and philosophies before explaining their problems and exploring fresh, new ideas for practice and research. These alternative ideas offer thought-provoking ways of reinterpreting many aspects of human existence often studied by psychologists. Organized into five sections, the volume covers the discipline of psychology in general, various subdisciplines (e.g., positive psychology and human development), concepts of self and identity as well as research and practice. Together the chapters present a set of alternative ideas that have the potential to take the field of psychology in fruitful directions not anticipated in more traditional theory and research. This handbook will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of the theory, assumptions, and history of psychology.

This unique and insightful book brings together a collection of impactful essays written by former psychology doctoral students, which feature hermeneutics as a method of qualitative inquiry. Philip Cushman brings together eleven chapters in which his former students describe their hermeneutic dissertations—how they chose their topics, their approach to research, what they discovered, what it was like emotionally for them, and how the process has influenced them in the years since completion. The contributors explore important contemporary issues like social justice, identity, gender inequality, and the political consequences of psychological theories and offer fresh, critical perspectives rooted in lived experiences. This book showcases the value and importance of hermeneutics, both as a philosophy, and as an orientation for conducting research that aids in critical, culturally respectful, interdisciplinary approaches. This is illuminating reading for graduate students and scholars curious about the hermeneutic approach to research, particularly those engaged in fields like theoretical psychology, clinical psychology, psychotherapy, mental health, cultural history, and social work.

Using COVID-19 as a base, this groundbreaking book brings together several renowned scholars to explore the concept of crisis, and how this global event has shaped the discipline of psychology. It engages directly with the challenges that psychology continues to face when theorizing societal issues of gender, race, class, history, and culture, while not disregarding "lived" experiences. This edited volume offers a set of pathways to rethink psychology beyond its current scope and history to become more apt to the conditions, needs, and demands of the 21st century. The book explores topics like resilience, interpersonal relationships, mistrust in the government, and access to healthcare. Dividing the book into three distinct sections, the contributors first examine the current crisis within psychology, then go on to explore how psychology theorizes the subject and the other in a social world of perpetual political, economic, cultural, and social crises, and lastly consider the role of crises in the creation of new theorizing. This is essential reading for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of theoretical and philosophical psychology, social psychology, community psychology, and developmental psychology.

The primary purpose of psychotherapy is to improve a patient’s subjective experience. A Humane Vision of Clinical Psychology, Volume I shows readers what this might really mean, how it can be achieved, and where prevailing views go wrong in achieving it. It lays out an alternative idea of human suffering and human healing, one that deemphasizes constructs and prioritizes experience itself. Early chapters argue that helping people to "know new things" is the ultimate target of psychotherapeutic change, but that our field has not sufficiently reflected on the complications of this task. A theory is then offered, which suggests that the unthinkable aspects of human experience are responsible for the very ways in which we human beings think. It invites and outlines a serious reformulation of psychotherapy in which human cognition is not the seat but the beneficiary of human change. This book will be valuable for therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other practitioners as well as graduate and undergraduate students in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy, mental health, social work, and philosophy. It will be of great interest for clinicians who find themselves disenchanted with the field’s current ethos, which is stilted by scientistic approaches to soothing the suffering of the other.

The purpose of A Humane Vision of Clinical Psychology, Volume II, is to encourage clinical and personal reflection on the part of reading clinicians, so as to foster more thought about the meaning and complexities of the therapeutic encounter. It does so by offering three clinical examples and a searching discussion of what each might teach us about the case at hand, ourselves, and the world. The book begins with an honest exploration of the limitations accompanying any and every attempt to write about the action of psychotherapy, which the first volume characterised as ineffable. More particularly, it is suggested that the deepest therapeutic phenomenon, experiential "proximity," is itself neither fully observable to the participants nor capturable by a verbal account. These concessions, which effectively confine the therapeutic "mechanism" to the air of every encounter, threaten to make descriptions of psychotherapy useless. However, while we can never rightly describe the fundamental cause of change, we can describe its observable corollaries. It is then suggested that certain therapeutic postures—those of kindness, openness, and sameness—facilitate the expansion of the other’s cognitive apparatus and thereby the "knowns" that inhabit their minds (the main goal of therapy, per Volume I). A Humane Vision of Clinical Psychology, Volume II, is valuable for therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other practitioners as well as graduate and undergraduate students in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy, mental health, social work, and philosophy.

Mark Freeman’s inspiring account of the burgeoning field of the psychological humanities presents a clear and compelling vision of what the discipline of psychology might become. Valuable though the scientific perspective has been for advancing the discipline, Freeman maintains that significant dimensions of the human experience elude this perspective and call for an entirely different kind of psychology, one more closely tied to the arts and humanities. Issuing his call for the psychological humanities in the form of a ten chapter "manifesto," Freeman’s groundbreaking book offers a comprehensive rationale for a more inclusive, pluralistic, and artful approach to exploring the psychological world in all of its potential complexity, obscurity, and beauty. Engaging and accessible, this bold, provocative book is destined to spark significant discussion and debate in audiences including advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and professionals in the field of psychology with interests in theoretical and philosophical psychology, history of psychology, clinical psychology, humanistic psychology, and qualitative psychology. It will also be welcomed by those in philosophy, literature, and the arts, as well as anyone intrigued by psychological life who may be interested in encountering a vital new approach to examining the human condition.

Hermeneutics is the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, a behaviour that is intrinsic to our daily lives. As humans, we decipher the meaning of newspaper articles, books, legal matters, religious texts, political speeches, emails, and even dinner conversations every day . But how is knowledge mediated through these forms? What constitutes the process of interpretation? And how do we draw meaning from the world around us so that we might understand our position in it? In this Very Short Introduction Jens Zimmermann traces the history of hermeneutic theory, setting out its key elements, and demonstrating how they can be applied to a broad range of disciplines: theology; literature; law; and natural and social sciences. Demonstrating the longstanding and wide-ranging necessity of interpretation, Zimmermann reveals its significance in our current social and political landscape. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Bem and de Jong present complex ideas in an accessible manner. Theoretical Issues in Psychology gives undergraduate psychology students all the resources they need to begin reflecting on the most pressing conceptual issues in their discipline. - Stuart Wilson, Queen Margaret University The 3rd edition of Theoretical Issues in Psychology provides an authoritative overview of the conceptual issues in psychology which introduces the underlying philosophies that underpin them. It includes new insights across the philosophy of science combined with increased psychological coverage to show clearly how these two communities interrelate, ensuring an integrative understanding of the fundamental debates and how they link to your wider studies. Key features of this new edition include: Concise paragraphs, multiple examples and additional summaries throughout to help you focus on key areas of knowledge. Textboxes with definitions and key concepts to help your understanding of the main debates and ideas. New content on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, cognition and cognitive neuroscience. New up-to-date material on consciousness and evolutionary psychology. For lecturers and teachers, PowerPoint slides are available for each chapter. Sacha Bem & Huib Looren de Jong′s textbook remains essential for students taking courses in conceptual and historical issues in psychology, the philosophy of psychology or theoretical psychology.

Conducting Hermeneutic Research: From Philosophy to Practice is the only textbook that teaches the reader ways to conduct research from a philosophical hermeneutic perspective. It is an invaluable resource for graduate students about to embark in hermeneutic research and for academics or other researchers who are novice to this research method or who wish to extend their knowledge. In 2009, the lead author of this proposed text was one of three co-founders of the Canadian Hermeneutic Institute. The institute was created as a means of bringing together scholars of hermeneutics and hermeneutic research across disciplines in creative dialogue and conversations of philosophy, research, and practice. An outcome of this was the launch of the Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, with Nancy J. Moules serving as Editor. The work of the institute and the journal make clear that people (both students and professors) seek practical guidance on how to conduct hermeneutic research. This book is a must read for this audience.