The Gender of Psychology

Psychology as a discipline has been criticised for perpetuating sexism, reproducing gender inequality, and neglecting marginalised perspectives. Internationally, an increasing attempt is being made to produce a critical gender analysis of the discipline and practice, and to theorise the contribution that psychology may make to addressing such issues.

Making an important contribution to this critique and written by a team of experienced authors, The Gender of Psychology addresses the diversity of psychological knowledge and practice through the lens of gender. The text is divided into three key sections:

• ‘(Re)production of knowledge in psychology’ focuses on gendered issues relating to knowledge production, research, authorship and publishing in psychology.
• ‘De/re-constructing psychological knowledge about gender’ addresses key areas of psychology that have theorised and researched gender issues, critically reflecting on psychology that has set itself up as an authority on issues of gender and sexuality.
• ‘Gendered practice and profession’ examines some of the professional areas of psychology, critically assessing the extent to which the applied aspects of psychology are sensitive to gender difference. It also explores the way in which psychology has tended to reproduce relations of power and control, and perpetuate normative, oppressive practices with respect to gender, sex and sexuality.

This accessible and interactive text will stimulate critical and applied thinking, and prove indispensable to students in the Social Sciences, particularly those in the disciplines of Gender, Women’s Studies and Psychology.