Philosophical Concerns in Critical Psychology
Critical Psychology is rooted in different social critiques to
industrial capitalism (Marx, 1844) and the rise of fascism in
Western Europe (Frankfurt school,1930's).
Marx:
Since alienated labour: (1) alienates nature from man; and (2) alienates man
from himself, from his own active function, his life activity; so it alienates him from the
species. ... For labour, life activity, productive life, now appear to man only as means
for the satisfaction of a need, the need to maintain physical existence. ... In the type of
life activity resides the whole character of a species, its species-character; and free,
conscious activity is the species-character of human beings. ... Conscious life activity
distinguishes man from the life activity of animals. (Manuscripts, p. 16)
Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, New York, International
Publishers, 1964. HX39.5 A224 196
Michel Foucault (1926-1984)
French philosopher who studied the historical development of
pathological discourse and sexuality.
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Outlined how Western European society developed the
concept of 'normality' and 'abnormality' as a form of social
control and regulation.
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Emphasized that to understand psychological development we
need to understand how we have come to talk and think about
ourselves and others through the historical analysis of power
relations.
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Foucault...
Discourses are historical so we can ask at this point in
history...
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–'Who
is saying what about whom and why?'
–Example: When
a psychologist says to a patient that
he/she has a particular diagnosis this is an example of
power relations. If the patient disagree's he is seen as
oppositional and other tactics may be used to 'convince'
him of what he 'really' is or has.
Alternatives to mainstream
pathological discourse
Who has the right to define who you are and what you
are experiencing?
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'The personal is political' (Feminist slogan).
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Hearing Voices Network
–Eleanor
Longden 'The voices in my head'
http://www.ted.com/talks/eleanor_longden_the_voices_in_my_head
Critical Discourse Analysis
We reproduce power relations and knowledge through
written and spoken language.
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The analysis of ‘text’ allows us to consider what
knowledge and relations are being reproduced.
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Language becomes normalized and assumes a status
quo which can be deconstructed through critical
analysis.
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Critical Discourse Analysis
Discourse: A system of statements which construct an
‘object’ (Parker, 1992). Not merely a label or language,
but a system which produces something that does not
exist before:
Examples:
Pathology or madness
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Racist identities
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Gender identities
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B.
Critical Discourse Analysis
Analysis:
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What objects are being defined and how?
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What subjects are being defined and how?
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•
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What is being assumed about how different actors should or should
not act?
Who has the right to speak and what is not being said or allowed to
speak?
How do these discourses relate to other discourses?
Critical Discourse Analysis
Analysis:
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Does this way of speaking refer to itself?
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How has this way of speaking emerged historically?
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Does this way of speaking define certain things as always existing?
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Which institutions are supported or not in this way of speaking?
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Who stands to lose or gain by this way of speaking?
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What type of power relations are reproduced or subverted in this way
of speaking?
Critical Discourse Analysis
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What is technology?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaOvHKG0Tio
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIzw6KKZLgA