Critical Social Psychology of Social Class

This book explores the importance of considering social class in critical psychological enquiry, providing a historical overview of psychological research and theorising on social class and socio-economic status. It highlights the cost of recent austerity policies on mental health and warns against further austerity measures. It pulls together perspectives from critical social psychology, feminist psychology, sociology, and other critical research to examine the discursive production of social class, classism, and classed identities. It also explores social class in educational and occupational settings, and analyses the intersections between class and other social categories such as gender, race, ethnicity, and sexuality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 285 pages
Publication date: 14 October 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive and thought-provoking work argues for the vital importance of incorporating social class into critical psychological inquiry. It provides a comprehensive historical overview of psychological research and theorizing on social class and socio-economic status, tracing the ways in which psychology has contributed to the surveillance, regulation, and pathologization of the working-class 'Other. The authors shed light on the devastating impact of recent austerity policies on mental health and fervently advocate against the implementation of further austerity measures in the current climate.

Drawing from a diverse range of perspectives, including critical social psychology, feminist psychology, sociology, and other critical research, the book delves into the discursive production of social class, classism, and classed identities. It explores social class in educational and occupational settings, examining the intricate intersections between class and other social categories such as gender, race, ethnicity, and sexuality. The authors also critically examine key issues in debates around social class in the broader social sciences, such as the limitations of approaches informed by poststructuralist theory.

This book is an invaluable resource for both academics and students seeking to understand class from a critical perspective. It offers a rich and nuanced analysis that challenges traditional notions of social hierarchy and provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of power, privilege, and inequality. By integrating social class into psychological inquiry, this book contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of human behavior and social systems, ultimately promoting social justice and equity.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 148 x 210 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030559670
Edition number: 1st ed. 2020