Dismantling Racism in the Field of Psychology and Beyond: Introduction to the special issue

Dismantling Racism in the Field of Psychology and Beyond: Introduction to the special issue

Clinical psychology

Kristen Walker

Germine H. Awad, Kevin O. Cokley, Lillian Comas-Díaz, Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, Joseph P. Gone

American Psychologist

Vol. 79

No. 4

2024

American Psychological Association

Journal article

English

Restricted Access

In 2021, the American Psychological Association (APA) passed a series of resolutions that initiated a process of atonement for its participation in promoting, perpetuating, and failing to challenge racism and discrimination toward communities of color (APA, 2021a, 2021b). The purpose of this special issue was to examine the ways in which the field of psychology has perpetuated racial hierarchy and harm toward communities of color. More importantly, the included articles offer guidance on the mechanisms and strategies that will aid in the dismantling of racism in the field of psychology and support efforts of reconciliation, repair, and healing. In this introduction, we present a brief history of racism in the field of psychology and highlight theories and methods that should be considered as efforts to combat systemic racial inequities. Articles in this special issue fall into four specific themes that include bias and scientific racism in research, intergroup collaboration, organizational and clinical implications, and changing the culture of psychology.