AWP was started with an acknowledgment that the field of psychology often overlooked feminist principles and minimized the realities of people marginalized by sexism. White men were, and at times, continue to be, touted as the primary developers of psychological knowledge and expertise. As feminists, we know that the history of our field is much broader, and was developed not only by people of all genders, but by people from all over the world, including indigenous folks and those from the global south, whose contributions have been overlooked and/or purposefully excluded. This year, we aim to expand AWP’s pursuit of critical psychology through our theme, Decolonizing Feminist Psychology: Resilience, Healing & Embodiment. Through this theme, we hope to encourage programming that highlights means of decolonizing psychology; enhancing our critical view of the eurocentrist, White supremacist, patriarchy we have all inherited and empowering us to dismantle it within ourselves and within our society, so that we may move towards resilience and healing.
Decolonization is a project that involves building our awareness of how the values of domination and colonization have influenced our field, our work, and our lives. It requires that we understand and honor the contributions of indigenous wisdom and cultural practices developed outside of “the west.” Specifically, we intend to highlight such wisdom and practices that de-center patriarchal norms like individuality, intellectualization, and mind-body separation, instead centering those that enable connection and embodiment as forms of healing. We encourage presentations that reckon with culture and context, oppression and domination, and liberation and joy. Furthermore, as we plan for this virtual conference, we hope to develop programming that allows attendees to feel centered, connected, and celebrated in their wholeness, despite attending through a screen.
Highlighted Areas of Focus:
