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Constructivism, Power & Privilege - The Berne 2021
- 1. Constructivism, Power & Privilege. • Who gets to do the editing? • July 2021
- 2. Information about the material and getting in contact. • andywilliams@therapysecure.com • 07780 677697 • https://padlet.com/AndyWilliamsTS TA/berne
- 3. Contents of this session What is Constructivism? Activity 1: Dominant Narratives Meaning Making Privilege & Oppression Activity 2: Mapping my Social Identity & Intersectionality Pluralism Conclusion – What am I taking away?
- 4. Stuart Hall - 1997 • “There are probably differences of all sorts in the world. There is no reason to deny this reality or this diversity. It is only when these differences have been organised within language, within discourse, within systems of meaning, that the differences can be said to acquire meaning and can become a factor in human culture and regulate conduct.”
- 5. What are the key components here? The organisation of material Who gets to organise? Those with power. Organised within language. Organised within discourse. Organised within systems of meaning. The material then gains meaning It becomes a “reality” with defined edges and boundaries. It becomes “a thing”. This reality informs culture. Culture informs behaviour.
- 6. Scientific or Empirical Model Here with think of empirical data. What is being made important by the measuring? What rigid meaning is made in the interpretation of this data? Is there a process of manipulation? How are these measured differences used? Are we blinded or complicit in some way?
- 7. Constructivism Do we measure what’s important….or Do we make important, what we can measure?
- 8. Eugenics The selection of desired heritable characteristics in order to improve future generations. Eugenics – first coined by British explorer Francis Galton – he was interested in Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection. He advocated a system that would allow the more suitable races or strains of blood a better chance of prevailing speedily over the less suitable. Ideas such as a high birth rate of the poor was a threat to civilization. USA, 1924, Immigration laws describing the dilution of good American stock!
- 11. “What is!” What constructs inhabit “Psychotherapy” as a relational process? What constructs inhabit…..say the process of diagnosis?
- 12. Problem – Dominant Narratives A dominant narrative is an explanation or story that is told in service of the dominant social group’s interests and ideologies. It achieves dominance through repetition The “authority” of the speaker – who usually represents the dominant group. It achieves dominance through silencing of alternative accounts. DOMINANT NARRATIVES BECOME NORMALISED – THROUGH REPETION AND AUTHORITY.
- 13. Dominant Narratives Serves the people in power They are told by the “Victor”. They ignore other perspectives They are taught as “the truth” Most people have heard it – in school, work, on the news, from their family etc
- 14. The study of human difference… Human Difference has often been conceptulised in terms of empirical differences between subjects. • For example human intelligence • For example human personality. • The model for this has been an empirical measurement process. • This “science” has resulted in classification • This has resulted in pigeon-holing people.
- 15. Differences in people Measurement and Science Empirical data. What rigid meaning is made in the interpretation of this data? Open to manipulation? How are these measured differences used? Are we blinded or complicit in some way? Meaning Making • Taking on the meaning. • What do these differences signify? • How are these differences used in meaning making? • Meaning can be dynamic and not rigid.
- 16. Who’s Stronger?
- 17. A useful guide to Gay and Straight Men • Gay Men • Are better dressers. • Can help you with interior design. • Are weaker. • Are camp and great fun • Are better dancers • Are at risk of getting HIV • Enjoy “Pride” marches • Love Abba. • Straight Men • Have poor dress sense. • Are crap at buying presents. • Love beer, golf, rugby and car shows. • Are stronger. • Struggle with expressing feelings. • Want a simple life.
- 18. Who is more “this” than “that”? This style of thinking immediately exposes the rigid nature of the construct. If we remain “at this level” – of the construct – then things become fixed – and we exit the discursive process. We reinforce processes of “Not Existing”.
- 19. Exclusion & Pathologising Polarising Psychometrics & Exams & Testing Consequence Can they? Can’t they? Binary & Fixed Pass or Fail? Meaning Disability Gender Intelligence Category
- 20. Two types of model for disability The Medical Model • Disabled people defined by their impairment. • Otherness • Passive receivers of social and medical services. • “Does he take sugar?” • Special facilities for “them” • An explanatory model. The Social Model • Activists in the 1970s • Disabled by society • Society has failed to recognise needs. • We are responsible for the barriers • To UNFIX the meaning around disability / ability • A critical model.
- 21. What’s the problem “Fixed, rigid” scientific approaches offer “fixed rigid” certainty Versus • Is psychology guilty too? • The use of psychometric testing • Measurement • Emerged fixed meaning. Accessing life through a discursive process.
- 22. So what’s missing? WE COULD THINK ABOUT MEANING. WHAT MEANINGS ARE WE MAKING? WHAT MEANINGS OF MEANINGS!
- 23. The Constructivist View • Here we can consider layers of power and meanings. • Who is prescribing the meaning? • What do these differences signify? • How are these differences used in meaning making? • Meaning can be dynamic and not rigid.
- 24. So human difference…… WE CAN CONCEPTULISE IN DIFFERENT WAYS: BIOLOGICAL THEORY………………..OR……….. MEANING + DISCOURSE + LANGUAGE
- 25. Radical Constructionist Perspective “The gods have certainty, whereas to us as women, men and trans people, conjecture [only is possible]” (Alcmaeon)
- 26. Radical Constructionist Perspective "constructivism is an epistemological premise grounded on the assertion that in the very act of knowing it is the human mind that actively gives meaning and order to that reality to which it is responding".
- 27. Constructivist Psychologies • The constructivist psychologies theorise about and investigate how human beings create systems for meaningfully understanding their worlds and experiences.
- 28. Radical Constructionist Perspective • It’s not the differences that matter. • It’s the meaning that we attribute to the differences that matter.