PsySSA Congress

On Violence: Troubling our Assumptions and Expanding our Theoretical Vistas

The last 100 years bear the ignominious distinction of being the most violent in recorded history, through acts of terror, organised extermination and war, continuously enabled by the prevailing political and social systems, as well as new technologies. How do we understand this seemingly pivotal aspect of the human condition that remains one of the most intractable features of our time? In this address, I examine some of the key contemporary limitations associated with viewing violence purely through the dominant lenses of either being a psychosocial/health antecedent, or outcome, within psychology. The paper selectively highlights several important considerations: (1) a critique of the ontological assumptions embedded within hegemonic approaches to understanding violence at present; (2) advocating against ‘interventionism’ as an epistemological framing that may foreclose our theorizing of violence; (3) and a proposition to reconsider how violence is frequently deployed as a strategic social resource, in three contemporary examples – human migration, community violence, and war. In each instance, I suggest that violence is made possible because of varying economies of morality that are in circulation around and within enactments of violence, that either legitimise or delegitimise violence. In addition, I argue that violence is a situationally contingent set of negotiations, performances, embodied enactments and affects that draw on subjectivities such as class, race, gender, nationality, religion, history, citizenship, etc. I conclude by suggesting that an inter-disciplinary approach is most suited to understand what the necessary pre-requisites for violence are, as well as how violence offers us an analytic window into the social world through the kinds of ‘work’ that it accomplishes.

Prof. Garth Stevens

Garth Stevens is a Professor and Clinical Psychologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), previously served as the Dean in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, is Past-President of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA), and is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: People Development and Culture.

Psychology Applied to Sustainable Development

As we reach the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain a vital global framework. However, progress has been uneven, with many targets lagging due to the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, and growing climate instability. In this invited address, Professor Lori Foster will explore the important role of psychology in advancing sustainable development. As the world shifts its focus from purely economic metrics to a more holistic view of development, there is increasing recognition of how psychological principles and behavioral science contribute to achieving sustainable development. Drawing from her experience working with governments and international organizations, including the United Nations, Professor Foster will highlight successful applications of psychological insights in policy and program development. She will demonstrate how psychology can help design effective interventions that support people, the planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships.

Prof. Lori Foster

Lori Foster is a Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at North Carolina State University (USA) and an Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). As President of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) for 2022-2026, she has contributed extensively to the field through her research, publications, and global speaking engagements. Professor Foster has worked with numerous UN entities, including UNICEF and UNITAR, and has served as a Behavioral Sciences Advisor to the United Nations. She leads the 4D Lab, focusing on work, psychology, technology, and sustainable development. Professor Foster is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association for Psychological Science (APS), and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).

Re-Visioning Global Psychology: Majority World Imperatives To Better Serve Humanity

Contemporary psychology has experienced significant expansion in scope and the intricacies of global organisational dynamics as psychologists have embraced the mission of serving humanity. Despite notable advancements, the discipline continues to face a combination of historical and contemporary challenges. These include the enduring dominance of Western academic scientific psychology, epistemological issues and increasing disciplinary fragmentation. Paradoxically, the global state of poly-crisis highlights the critical need for psychological science while negatively affecting its development and application.

In this address, I call for the urgent re-visioning of global psychology with the goal of the full and complete integration of contributions, perspectives, and realities of the Majority World as a prerequisite for fulfilling the discipline’s promise to humanity. In doing so, I highlight the pivotal role of African psychologists and psychologies. Additionally, I discuss the imperatives for IUPsyS to promote an inclusive global psychology that is grounded in critical reflexivity, whole psychology leadership and strengthening Members’ capacity to realise the vision for a multi-polar global psychological science. I end with an invitation to participate in this bold and transformative re-visioning and associated praxis to promote psychology’s evolution as a truly global science that benefits all of humanity and our natural environment.

Prof. Ava Thompson 

Dr. Ava Thompson is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Academic whose professional activities reflect a macro-disciplinary focus with national, regional and international engagement. She is currently the Secretary-General of the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS).  Dr. Thompson was the founding President of the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Associations (CANPA) and is Past-President of the Bahamas Psychological Association.