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The place and function of power in community psychology: philosophical and practical issues
Author(s) -
Fisher Adrian T.,
Sonn Christopher C.,
Evans Scot D.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of community and applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.042
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1099-1298
pISSN - 1052-9284
DOI - 10.1002/casp.934
Subject(s) - positivism , objectivity (philosophy) , epistemology , ontology , function (biology) , politics , power (physics) , discursive psychology , sociology , pragmatics , philosophy of science , psychology , discourse analysis , philosophy , political science , law , physics , quantum mechanics , linguistics , evolutionary biology , biology
Much of the training of psychologists in the western world follows a logical positivist, scientist‐practitioner model based in scientific objectivity and removed from politics. In this paper, we explore issues around alternative understandings of the role and place of psychologists and psychological actions. In so doing, we discuss a number of issues of ontology, epistemology and pragmatics to demonstrate that the role and function of power in our society need to be addressed more directly and more politically in order for us to successfully achieve our roles as community psychologists. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.