SAJP Volume 56, Issue 3 – September 2026 Now Available

The South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP), Volume 56, Issue 3, is now available, presenting a compelling collection of scholarship engaging with critical psychological and societal questions in South Africa and beyond.

At the centre of this issue is the Special Section:

Hate Studies: Looking Back, Driving Forward

Guest edited by Prof Juan A. Nel, the Special Section brings together psychological and interdisciplinary perspectives on the complex dynamics of hate and its expression in contemporary society.

The Special Section arises from the 2024 International Network for Hate Studies (INHS) Biennial Conference, held in Cape Town and co-hosted by INHS, the University of South Africa (Unisa) and the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA).

Opening with a commentary by Mark Walters, Garth Stevens and Barbara Perry, the collection engages with pressing issues including hate speech and freedom of expression, xenophobia, cognitive dissonance, prejudice, exclusion, and the psychological and social processes through which hate is produced, experienced and understood.

Of particular relevance to the South African context is scholarship examining the boundaries between freedom of expression and hate speech, including the case of struggle songs, alongside research exploring the psychological drivers of xenophobia.

The Special Section includes Open Access contributions, supporting wider engagement with this important scholarship.

Also featured in this issue is PsySSA’s Practice Guidelines for Psychology Professionals Working with Sexually and Gender-Diverse People (2nd Edition). The updated guidelines provide a locally relevant and contextually informed framework for ethical, affirmative and diversity-competent psychological practice, grounded in contemporary South African and international evidence.

Alongside these contributions, Volume 56, Issue 3 features further original research and scholarship reflecting the breadth, diversity and evolving concerns of contemporary psychology.

Explore the latest issue

Through SAJP, PsySSA continues to support the production and dissemination of rigorous psychological scholarship that contributes to scientific knowledge, critical dialogue and a deeper understanding of the challenges facing individuals, communities and society.

Explore the latest research, perspectives and debates shaping psychology in South Africa and beyond.

Explore SAJP Volume 56, Issue 3:
South African Journal of Psychology – Volume 56, Number 3

The South African Journal of Psychology is the official journal of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) and is published by SAGE.