Fortalecimiento de la ciudadanía y transformación social: Área de encuentro entre la psicología política y la psicología comunitaria

Abstract

This paper deals with the relationships between community psychology (CP) and political psychology (PP), focusing on the contributions of the former to PP and on aspects that are common to both branches of psychology. Beginning with the idea of social transformation, present in both psychological subdisciplines and a central objective for Latin American and Anglo-Saxon PC, the dynamic condition of transformation is argued. Notions of power, strengthening, and empowerment are discussed, pointing out the symmetrical perspective of power generatedin Latin America, whose positive influence is demonstrated in communal transformations. Other contributions are discussed, such as the ethical perspective and, related to it, the necessityof working in the sensitization of external agents as well as internal agents, the liberating perspective and the shared methodological tools used by PC and PP. It concludes by demonstrating the political condition of PC and its complementary relationship with PP. © 2010 by Psykhe.