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Power and Action in Critical Theory Across Disciplines: Implications for Critical Community Psychology
Author(s) -
Davidson Heather,
Evans Scot,
Ganote Cynthia,
Henrickson Jorie,
Jacobs-Priebe Lynette,
Jones Diana L.,
Prilleltensky Isaac,
Riemer Manuel
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/s10464-006-9061-4
Subject(s) - scholarship , status quo , community psychology , critical theory , health psychology , sociology , power (physics) , action (physics) , psychology , social psychology , social science , political science , public health , law , medicine , physics , nursing , quantum mechanics
Abstract Although critical scholarship and community psychology share similar aspirations, the links between them remain unexplored and under‐theorized. In this article we explore the implications of critical scholarship in various specialties for the field of community psychology. To understand the contributions of critical scholarship to a theory of power and action for social change, we conducted a systematic analysis of a ten‐year period of publications in seven journals associated with the critical scholarship tradition. We created precise criteria for the concepts of power and action and applied them to the publications. Results indicate an interesting paradox at play. Whereas community psychology is more action oriented than critical scholarship, its actions fall short of challenging institutionalized power structures and the status quo; and whereas critical scholarship is more challenging of the status quo than community psychology in theory, it has failed to produce viable actions that challenge the status quo. We discuss the implications of this state of affairs for the development of a more critical community psychology.