Philosophical Concerns in Critical Psychology Critical Psychology is rooted in different social critiques to industrial capitalism (Marx, 1844) and the rise of fascism in Western Europe (Frankfurt school,1930's). Marx: Since alienated labour: (1) alienates nature from man; and (2) alienates man from himself, from his own active function, his life activity; so it alienates him from the species.... For labour, life activity, productive life, now appear to man only as means for the satisfaction of a need, the need to maintain physical existence.... In the type of life activity resides the whole character of a species, its species-character; and free, conscious activity is the species-character of human beings.... Conscious life activity distinguishes man from the life activity of animals. (Manuscripts, p. 16) Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, New York, International Publishers, HX39.5 A

Michel Foucault ( ) ● French philosopher who studied the historical development of pathological discourse and sexuality. ● Outlined how Western European society developed the concept of 'normality' and 'abnormality' as a form of social control and regulation. ● Emphasized that to understand psychological development we need to understand how we have come to talk and think about ourselves and others through the historical analysis of power relations.

Foucault... ● Discourses are historical so we can ask at this point in history... – 'Who is saying what about whom and why?' – Example: When a psychologist says to a patient that he/she has a particular diagnosis this is an example of power relations. If the patient disagree's he is seen as oppositional and other tactics may be used to 'convince' him of what he 'really' is or has.

Alternatives to mainstream pathological discourse ● Who has the right to define who you are and what you are experiencing? ● 'The personal is political' (Feminist slogan). ● Hearing Voices Network – Eleanor Longden 'The voices in my head'

Critical Discourse Analysis ● We reproduce power relations and knowledge through written and spoken language. ● The analysis of ‘text’ allows us to consider what knowledge and relations are being reproduced. ● Language becomes normalized and assumes a status quo which can be deconstructed through critical analysis.

Critical Discourse Analysis Discourse: A system of statements which construct an ‘object’ (Parker, 1992). Not merely a label or language, but a system which produces something that does not exist before: Examples: ● Pathology or madness ● Racist identities ● Gender identities ● B.

Critical Discourse Analysis Analysis: What objects are being defined and how? What subjects are being defined and how? What is being assumed about how different actors should or should not act? Who has the right to speak and what is not being said or allowed to speak? How do these discourses relate to other discourses?

Critical Discourse Analysis Analysis: Does this way of speaking refer to itself? How has this way of speaking emerged historically? Does this way of speaking define certain things as always existing? Which institutions are supported or not in this way of speaking? Who stands to lose or gain by this way of speaking? What type of power relations are reproduced or subverted in this way of speaking?

Critical Discourse Analysis ● What is technology? ● ●