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This is a modified version of the original paper newsletter. Links and other information may be outdated.
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Dennis Fox
The Radical Psychology Network met twice in New York during August's APA meeting. More than 20 people, almost all RadPsyNet members, came to one or both sessions. It was great meeting in person so many members we'd known only at a distance! (And getting o ut of the convention hotel and into Manhattan's restaurants!)
We discussed where we've been as a Network and where we'd like to go. As predicted, we had a variety of views. Some members would like to see the group more active. Others would like to see it more focused. Still others are happy with it as it is.
A number of members proposed, and agreed to take part in, several
projects. These include:
*Proposing to APA that the next APA Convention have as one of its themes, "Racism and Oppression." (Randy Potts, Keith Curry, Melissa Warren)*Generating letters to the editor of the APA Monitor concerning a specific article of interest to RadPsy. (Keith Curry)
*Developing materials to distribute to undergraduate students and teachers of undergraduate courses. (Eliot Levine and Isaac Prilleltensky)
*Gathering books to distribute to colleagues in Latin America. (Isaac Prilleltensky)
We also discussed the Topics that had been in the last
newsletter and actually made some decisions.
DECISION MAKING
We agreed that there will likely be times that RadPsyNet should
make public statements on significant issues. Other decisions may
come. We decided that, when a decision must be made quickly, we will
use the e-mail network to solicit fast feedback. Anyone proposing a
particular course of action can send an e-mail query directly to the
membership. Although any participant in the e-mail list can take part
in the discussion, only actual members of RadPsyNet (those who have
paid dues or requested a waiver) can vote. When we have more decision
making time, we will use the newsletter for the same purpose. Send
proposed calls of action to the Newsletter Editor.
E-MAIL NETWORK
Many RadPsyNet members who have e-mail have not signed on to the RadPsyNet e-mail list. This makes it difficult to obtain feedback from the members and to distribute information to the group. Some of our members do not want to receive the volume of mail g enerated on the e-mail list. We discussed several ways to handle this.
One way is to establish a second "members only" list for occasional announcements.
We did not make any decision about this, however. In the meantime, if you're
not signed on to the e-mail list, please try
it!
DUES
At the time of the convention, RadPsyNet had about $100 in our account (since increased to $175 before producing this newsletter). This is not enough to keep producing newsletters as long as they have become or for other activities such as member outreach.
WE DECIDED TO ESTABLISH A NEW DUES STRUCTURE BASED ON A SLIDING SCALE FEE SCHEDULE - FROM $10 AT A MINIMUM TO $50 OR MORE FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT. We have had members pay $50, even $100 in the past, but we've also had members unable to pay anything.
We agreed to retain waivers for those who really can't afford dues. But remember, if everyone takes waivers, we can't maintain our activities. If you can't afford $10, then how about $5?
[Important Changes! See our current membership policy!]
NEWSLETTER
Primarily because of our finances, and secondarily because of Dennis Fox's other commitments, the newsletter is now reduced in size. This lowers photocopy and postage costs, which have been rising with the length of the newsletter. Until the dues start fl owing in more regularly, the newsletter will be limited to a short listing of announcements and similar material. We can, however, include directions on how to find longer articles you have placed on the RadPsy World Wide Web or elsewhere.
Fortunately, to help with the newsletter workload, we now have a newsletter committee!
Jackie Klosek in New York and John Lawrence in Baltimore have
signed on to help put out RadPsyNews. Jackie has already begun - shes
edited this issue of the newsletter and will do the next one as well,
with help from John. Thanks!
FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER, send your announcements and short articles to Jackie Klosek, Issue Editor
I have spent the last year as a labor union "consultant" and as a
member of a joint (management-union) committee on workplace testing
issues. This was part of my Ph.D. internship requirement in Applied
Psychology, made possible by my association with peop le in other
departments who study critical social theory.
I worked with union representatives contesting the way the company
was using aptitude tests for promoting people into jobs very similar
to the ones they were already doing, in some cases jobs they'd
already done at some point. Large numbers of people were failing the
tests and the company was hiring low seniority people or new hires,
who had passed the tests, into the jobs. In an attempt to deal with
the problem, the company hired a psychologist to review their testing
problems. The psychologist basically supported the testing methods
and suggested that over time, it would result in a "higher caliber"
of employee at the plant. He also held the view that he was neutral
and represented both the union and the company. By the end of the
process (it took at le ast a year), we were finally able to get the
company to stop using the tests for in-house people who could
demonstrate job-related experience. in my work on this issue I've
found that the standard critiques of standardi! zed testing are not
enough since t hey do not account for the political and institutional
contexts in which the testing takes place.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked in similar
situations or who might have supportive insights on the issues.
Megan Terepocki
The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
252 Bloor Street West
Ontario, CANADA
M5S 1V6
Email: mterepocki@oise.on.ca
The Society for the
Psychological Study of Social Issues invites proposals addressing
"Social Issues: Theory, Research and Action: Retrospect, Progress and
Prospects" for inclusion in its 60th Anniversary Convention. This
event will be held May 31-June 2, 1996 on the University of Michigan
campus in Ann Arbor. Program events of special interest to students
are planned, including a student poster section
Program Proposals are due on January 5, 1996
Contact:
SPSSI Central Office
P.O. Box 1248
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
Phone: (313) 662-9130
Fax: 9313) 662-5607
Email: SPSSI@umich.edu
JULY 12-14, 1996
Geneva, Switzerland
Theme: Socio-Economic Reform of a Just Society
The organizers encourage sessions and papers that focus on the
building of trust and institutions that promote the development of
fair and just societies.
Contact: Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics
2808 Central Avenue SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106 USA
tel: 505/277-5081
fax: 505/277-4215
sase@unm.edu
6th Annual Conference
The Rise of the Right: What Does it Mean? What Can We Do About
It?
OCTOBER 27-29, 1995
Loyola University, Chicago
Workshops, Plenaries, Video Previews, Literature Fair, and Political Receptions
Registration:
$50 - Sustainer
$25 - Regular
$15 - Student/Low-income
Contact:
Carl Davidson
Networking for Democracy
3411 W. Diversy, Ste 1
Chicago, IL 60647
Tel: 312/384-9927
Fax: 312/384-3904
Email: cdavidson@igc.org
(International Sociological Association)
July 10-13, 1996
Glasgow, Scotland
Theme: "Globalization and the Quest for Justice"
Proposals Due: January 4, 1996
The program committee invites proposals for presentation and
discussion of all aspects of research on topics that link law and
society in the broadest sense of these terms.
Contact: Law and Society Association
ATTN: Program Committee
Hampshire House-Box 33615
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-3615 USA
Phone 413/545-4617
Fax 413/545-1640
More Info on World Wide Web: http://www-unix.oit.umass/~Isapg/glasgow.htm
NOVEMBER 18-19, 1995
Institute of Education
20 Bedford Way
London Wc1
This conference aims to assess the risks and explore the
alternatives to retiring from life in the 90s.
Workshops include:
Contact:
Kate Margram
017/278-9908
lm@junius.co.uk
Theme: "Politics and Power; Research and Action"
Sponsored by the graduate students of the Ecological-Community
Psychology Program at Michigan State University.
November 3-5, 1995
W. K. Kellogg Biological Station
Michigan State University
Hicklory Corners, Michigan
The conference endeavors to bring together students, faculty, and other friends of eco-community.
Proposals and Registrations Due September 30, 1995 (Try anyway!)
Contact: Holly Angelique
Papers from the conference, "CYBERPSYCHOLOGY" are now available in
CYBERPSYCHOLOGY: CONFERENCE, INTERVENTION AND REFLECTIONS with papers
by Angel J. Gordo-Lopez, Dan Heggs, Jenny Wolmark, Sadie Plan, Joanna
Hodge, Kathy Doherty, Anna Madill and Ian Parker
DECONSTRUCTING PSYCHOLOGY by Parker, I., Georgaca E., Harper D.,
McLaughlin, T. and Stowell-Smith, M. Chapters include: "Madness and
Modernity"; "Psychotic Discourse"; "Radical Mental Health" and more,
plus an expansive resource list at the end.
Contact: Ian Parker at I.A.Parker@Bolton.ac.uk
For a discussion of wider social, cultural, political, ideological, institutional and related aspects of psychoanalysis and other psychodynamic approaches. Matters of concern to the profession of psychodynamic therapists, including funding, efficacy, and critiques are also welcome, as is any psychodynamically-related topic.
To subscribe:
Send e-mail to: listserv@netcom.com
In the body of the e-mail, type:
Subscribe psa-public-sphere
DO NOT include any other information, such as your name
The purpose of the site is to serve those interested in cognition,
behavior, health and education. If you would like to help with this
project please take a look at:
http://www.ac.uk/uni/projects/gpp/index.html
Coordinator:
Ian Pitchford
Department of Biomedical Sciences
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield S10 2TN
United Kingdom
Eliot Levine
"Radicalizing Organized Psychology" was one of several Critical Issues Groups at the 1995 Society for Community Research and Action (APA Division 27) conference in Chicago, thanks to the advance work of Dennis and Isaac. Our subgroup brainstormed about wa ys to "educate and support psychology students in their efforts to learn and live the values of social justice and critical theory." Our main proposals were: (1) to create and distribute modules of critical theory and critical psychology to students and p rofessors and (2) to link with SCRA's standing committee on "Raising Undergraduate Awareness in Community Psychology" to seek representation of critical perspectives.
Our personal experiences point to the importance of exposure to critical perspectives. During our undergraduate years, our awareness of social injustice increased, but the undergraduate curriculum lacked materials to illustrate the link between psychology and an oppressive status quo. We both feel that earlier exposure to critical perspectives would have benefited our choices for graduate training. We hope that additional information will help incipient critical thinkers, both graduate and undergraduate, to avoid the circuitous route that brought us to our current niches in psychology.
Specific ideas from the Chicago meeting included compiling
literature (bibliographies, orientation packets, course materials,
provocative one-page bulletin board notices) and finding entry points
for distribution in universities (radical gatekeepers, unde rgraduate
honor societies, e-mail list). Please share with us any ways that you
would like to be involved and any thoughts you have about readings,
distribution, alternative career paths, and anything else you think
is important. Moving glacially toward o ur goals, we welcome
suggestions and participation from other RadPsyNet members.
Contact:
Margaret Douglin
Wilfrid Laurier University
Ontario, CANADA
Eliot Levine
Department of Psychology
University of Maryland at College Park
College Park, MD 20742
On the newsletter address label is the date of your last annual
dues payment. HOW ABOUT RENEWING YOUR DUES NOW, even if it's not a
year since you last paid? If there's no date on your label, it means
you've never paid. Please reconsider!
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