Towards a Really Social Psychology: Liberation Psychology Beyond Latin America

Abstract

(From the chapter) In this chapter, we will explore the implications of the Liberation Psychology (LP) that developed in Latin America for psychological theory and praxis in what we call the Core Capitalist Countries (CCCs). To do this requires the identification of the key characteristics of those countries, of Latin American Liberation Psychology (LALP) itself, and of the main characteristics of already existing psychological alternatives in the CCCs. It is our view that psychologists in the CCCs can learn a great deal from the experience of LP and specifically from the example of its key originator, Ignacio MartÃn-BarÃ. We can use that learning in the development of a progressive applied social-political-psychological practice. However, our reading of LP is done from a perspective that is situated outside the Latin American cradle of LP (Burton, 2004a) and is peculiar to our own experience and outlook. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)