This groundbreaking book is the first to explore the implications of postmodernist ideas for psychology. It examines central themes of postmodernism as they relate to psychology - for example, the nature of the self, locally situated rather than universal knowledge and the pivotal role of language in social life. The contributors outline the new possibilities for psychology, setting theoretical reformulations alongside implications for psychological practice and method. The book presents critique as well as support for postmodern perspectives, from feminist critique of postmodern `deconstruction' to argument with the usefulness of sharp distinctions between a `modern' and `postmodern' psychology.

Focusing on race, culture, acculturation, ethnicity, and ethnic identity—concepts commonly used to account for the behaviors of Asian Americans and other minorities—A Postmodern Psychology of Asian Americans examines the effects of modern psychology's epistemological and ontological premises on its investigative methods and concepts. Author Laura Uba looks at the social creation of psychological facts, including portrayals of ethnic and racial groups, and demonstrates, especially in ways pertinent to the study of minorities, that modern psychology needs to reconsider its ways of thinking about study samples, investigative methods, facts, and concepts used to describe and explain behaviors.

Jung, Psychology, Postmodernity explores points of confluence and, more often, contradictions between Jungian and postmodern ideas. Throughout the book Raya Jones examines how personal meaning emerges in human activity. Jung addressed this in terms of symbol formation, with particular attention to dreams, myths, art and other fantasy productions. Postmodern psychologists tend to address issues of meaning in terms of peoples self-understanding and identity construction, with a focus on self-positioning in actual conversation or on autobiographical narratives. Jones draws a line of critical comparison between postmodern psychology and Jung’s descriptions of the symbolic dimension, myth, and the structure of the psyche. The book culminates with an evaluation of Jung’s psychic energy concept, for which there is no direct counterpart in postmodern psychology. Jung, Psychology, Postmodernity is an original critique of two key moments in the history of psychology. It will be welcomed by Jungians, as well as psychotherapists, and students of psychology.

What has Jung to do with the Postmodern? Chris Hauke's lively and provocative book, puts the case that Jung's psychology constitutes a critique of modernity that brings it in line with many aspects of the postmodern critique of contemporary culture. The metaphor he uses is one in which 'we are gazing through a Jungian transparency or filter being held up against the postmodern while, from the other side, we are also able to look through a transparency or filter of the postmodern to gaze at Jung. From either direction there will be a new and surprising vision.' Setting Jung against a range of postmodern thinkers, Hauke recontextualizes Jung' s thought as a reponse to modernity, placing it - sometimes in parallel and sometimes in contrast to - various postmodern discourses. Including chapters on themes such as meaning, knowledge and power, the contribution of architectural criticism to the postmodern debate, Nietzsche's perspective theory of affect and Jung's complex theory, representation and symbolization, constructivism and pluralism, this is a book which will find a ready audience in academy and profession alike.

After over a decade of theoretical writing, it is now possible and timely to evaluate the impact of postmodernism on psychology. This book brings together a group of highly respected contributors to the postmodern debate in psychology. Their chapters reflect on achievements and limitations of attempts to develop postmodern approaches to psychology. The essays are interactive, reflective and the authors are often in active debate. This volume introduces the general reader to such topics as Marxist and feminist psychology, social constructionism and deconstructionism. Postmodern Psychologies is the first book to assess postmodernism's impact on psychology, both within the discipline of psychology and the broader culture.

This volume is a primer which takes the reader through the ideas of the most important post-modern thinkers, giving a clear summary of the essential points of their ideas and how they relate to current and future psychotherapy theory and practice.

Understanding Experience: Psychotherapy and Postmodernism is a collection of innovative interdisciplinary essays that explore the way we experience and interact with each other and the world around us. The authors address the postmodern debate in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis through clinical and theoretical discussion and offer a view of the person that is unique and relevant today. The clinical work of Binswanger, Boss, Fromm, Fromm-Reichmann, Laing, and Lacan is considered alongside the theories of Buber, Heidegger, Husserl, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre and others. Combining clinical data from psychotherapy and psychoanalysis with insights from European philosophy, this book seeks to fill a major gap in the debate over postmodernism and bridges the paradigmatic divide between the behavioural sciences and the human sciences. It will be of great interest to clinicians and students of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis who wish to come to terms with postmodernism, as well as those interested in the interaction of psychoanalysis, philosophy and social theory.