Studies in Meaning 4

Studies in Meaning 4: Constructivist Perspectives on Theory, Practice, and Social Justice
Edited by Jonathan D. Raskin, Sara K. Bridges, & Robert A. Neimeyer

This volume addresses cutting edge issues in constructivist psychology dealing with theory, practice, and social justice. The volume begins by delving into thorny issues of meaning and communication from both radical constructivist and social constructionist perspectives. Building on this, prominent practitioners share advances in research and practice related to constructivist therapy – including work exploring grief, love, and narrative. From there, the volume pays special attention to constructivist conceptions of social justice as they relate to working with torture survivors, mentoring graduate students, and dealing with the objectification of women; it even uses constructivist theory to reflexively examine the limits of social justice counseling as a theoretical orientation. Finally, the volume comes full circle by revisiting theory – this time exploring the value preferences that often infuse research on epistemological beliefs, the metaphor of the psychotherapist-as-philosopher-of-science, and the contentious status of individualism within pragmatism and constructivism. In sum, Studies in Meaning 4 highlights constructivism’s multiplicity through fourteen stimulating and, at times, controversial scholarly contributions intended to sharpen the implications of constructivism for social critique and psychological practice.

ISBN 0-944473-98-9 / ©2010 / $40.00 / Pace University Press
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Table of Contents

PART I: THEORY

1. A Radical Constructivist View of Meaning and the Problem of Communication
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernst von Glasersfeld

2. Meaning in Relationship
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenneth J. Gergen

PART II: PRACTICE

3. Innovations in Psychotherapy: Tracking the Narrative Construction of Change
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miguel M. Gonçalves, Anita Santos, Marlene Matos,
João Salgado, Inês Mendes, António Ribeiro, Carla Cunha, and Juliana Gonçalves

4. Reconstructing the Continuing Bond: A Constructivist Approach to Grief Therapy
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert A. Neimeyer

5. The Dynamic Features of Love: Changes in Self and Motivation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Agnieszka Hermans-Konopka and Hubert J. M. Hermans

6. Asking and Answering Deconstruction Questions from within Counseling Dialogues
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Strong and Lara Schultz

PART III: SOCIAL JUSTICE

7. Doing Justice: A Witnessing Stance in Therapeutic Work alongside Survivors of Torture and Political Violence
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vikki Reynolds

8. Constructivist Mentoring as Social Justice
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara K. Bridges

9. Gazing at Objectification Theory through a Social Constructionist Lens
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melanie S. Hill

10. The Integral Universe, Experiential Personal Construct Psychology, Transpersonal Reverence, and Transpersonal Responsibility
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry M. Leitner

11. Constructing and Deconstructing Social Justice Counseling
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan D. Raskin

PART IV: THEORY REVISITED

12. The Hierarchy of Epistemological Beliefs: All Ways of Knowing Are Not Created Equal
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tabitha R. Holmes

13. Psychotherapist-as-Philosopher-of-Science
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dušan Stojnov

14. The Status of the Individual in Pragmatism and Constructivism
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trevor Butt

Appendix: About the Constructivist Psychology Network
Index of Proper Names
Subject index