Since 2008, the Critical Psychology Symposium has been organized with key principles and objectives in mind. These objectives entail critically examining the discipline of psychology and its practices within the framework of social power dynamics; fostering an environment for interdisciplinary collaboration that generates new ideas; and doing all these while adhering to the principles of equality and freedom. However, in our current era, societies face profound disruptions at the very core of our commitment to and hope for ideals and principles, in forging meaningful and creative connections with others and with society at large, and even in sustaining life and the life-affirming relationships we depend on, as observed in earthquake-stricken areas, in Palestine, and in Iliç. These disruptions bring with them fractures, regressions, and losses… Thus, we often find ourselves on a threshold between environments of life and struggle, the possible and the actual, memory and hope, forgetting and remembering, seeking to comprehend the essence of what never was to understand what it is now, and the dichotomy of loss and reconstruction. Meanwhile, psychology's individualistic paradigms that reframe social issues as personal problems and promote individual "healing" over the pursuit of collective emancipation have taken hold. These perspectives advocate for incremental improvements within the existing system rather than striving for a collective emancipation that could eradicate all forms of oppression and exploitation, and while doing these, they urge us to prioritize our personal realization over collective needs, pulling us away from the threshold we are on, from imagining reconstruction.
At the VIII Critical Psychology Symposium in Istanbul this October, our aim is to delve into the experiences and insights emerging at this threshold. In an era marked by varying degrees of destruction, sometimes with overt violence and attacks on human/animal life and the ecological environment, and sometimes through the forms that are inherent in the functioning of political-economic systems but yet no longer need to be concealed, we want to engage with Remembering Struggle and Imagining Reconstruction. In an environment where pandemics, economic crises, neoliberal agendas, discrimination against refugees, male dominance and LGBTI+ hostility driven by familistic policies, housing crises, climate crises, disasters, wars, massacres, and workplace fatalities are woven into or are being interwoven into the fabric of our daily lives, we invite participants to reflect on how inequalities shape the allocation of destruction and repair, to explore their multifaceted individual and social implications, and to seek pathways beyond these conditions. Our goal is to generate discussions that transcend psychology and critical psychology, touching upon the diverse aspects of individual and collective memory—how they connect or divide us, create spaces for grief or stoke hatred, build solidarity or obscure inequities. At the same time, we aim to collaboratively examine theories and practices that promote social and personal well-being, explore models of social solidarity and resistance, and discuss various approaches and strategies for the reconstruction of both individuals and societies.
Individuals interested in presenting at the symposium are required to prepare and submit their paper abstracts in alignment with the guidelines provided in the application form by June 21, 2024. We welcome submissions that resonate with this year's thematic focus, as well as those that, while diverging from the specific theme, still reflect the symposium's overarching ethos and principles. As always, we greatly appreciate contributions not only from the realm of psychology but also from a broad spectrum of social sciences, other disciplines, and diverse areas of experience, endeavor, and struggle. To stay updated on the symposium, please follow the developments on TODAP's official website and through our social media channels. You can reach us via our e-mail address.
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