Palgrave Studies in Indigenous Psychology – serie

​This volume introduces Asian indigenous psychologies with an emphasis on major theoretical and practical issues. The contributions demonstrate the potential for the indigenous psychologies of Asia to offer an alternative model of the internationalization of psychology—an internationalization not dominated by Western psychology. As a whole, this volume explores knowledge production outside of Western psychology; asks important questions about the discipline, profession, and practice of Asian indigenous psychology; makes critical appraises of cultural and psychological assumptions; sheds light on the dialectics of the universal and the particular in indigenous psychology; and explores the possibilities for a more equitable global psychology.

This volume celebrates the visions of a more equitable global psychology as inspired by the late Professor K. S. Yang, one of the founders of the indigenous psychology movement.  This unprecedented international debate among leaders in the field is essential for anyone who wishes to understand the movement from within—the thinking and the vision of those who are the driving forces behind the movement. This book should appeal to scholars and students of psychology, sociology, anthropology, ethnology, philosophy of science, and postcolonial studies.

This volume celebrates the visions of a more equitable global psychology as inspired by the late Professor K. S. Yang, one of the founders of the indigenous psychology movement.  This unprecedented international debate among leaders in the field is essential for anyone who wishes to understand the movement from within—the thinking and the vision of those who are the driving forces behind the movement. This book should appeal to scholars and students of psychology, sociology, anthropology, ethnology, philosophy of science, and postcolonial studies.

This book presents cutting-edge research and theory in the emerging field of the indigenous psychology of religion. Its authors examine the influence of colonization and illustrate the use of novel research methodologies utilised in studies with communities in India, Korea, China, Indonesia, America, and Poland. Whereas Western psychology has traditionally viewed religion through an institutional lens and from a Euro-American perspective, this book aims to facilitate an understanding of indigenous spiritualities on their own terms and from the indigenous people’s lived experience.In doing so, the contributors seek to support indigenous communities in the recovery of their voice, original vision, and ancient practices, and to follow their yearning as echoed in T. S. Eliot’s words: “In my beginning is my end.” The book is replete with examples of this recovery of indigeneity in, for example, Chinese notions of harmony and resilience; cultural differences in hearing the voice of the divine; the influence of animism on Christians in Korea; and in savoring the bereavement of loved ones. This novel collection presents fresh insights for students and scholars of the psychology of religion, indigenous studies, cultural psychology, and anthropology.

This book presents cutting-edge research and theory in the emerging field of the indigenous psychology of religion. Its authors examine the influence of colonization and illustrate the use of novel research methodologies utilised in studies with communities in India, Korea, China, Indonesia, America, and Poland. Whereas Western psychology has traditionally viewed religion through an institutional lens and from a Euro-American perspective, this book aims to facilitate an understanding of indigenous spiritualities on their own terms and from the indigenous people’s lived experience.In doing so, the contributors seek to support indigenous communities in the recovery of their voice, original vision, and ancient practices, and to follow their yearning as echoed in T. S. Eliot’s words: “In my beginning is my end.” The book is replete with examples of this recovery of indigeneity in, for example, Chinese notions of harmony and resilience; cultural differences in hearing the voice of the divine; the influence of animism on Christians in Korea; and in savoring the bereavement of loved ones. This novel collection presents fresh insights for students and scholars of the psychology of religion, indigenous studies, cultural psychology, and anthropology.

This book examines the popular, yet puzzling, Chinese saying Nande hutu 难得糊涂 to uncover how the ancient Chinese wisdom of not knowing is constructed, interpreted, practiced and valued in contemporary society.Originating in the calligraphy of Qing-dynasty scholar Zheng Banqiao, Nande hutu translates literally as: “hard to attain muddle-headedness”. Mieke Matthyssen traces the historical development of this saying and related philosophies to reveal a culturally conditioned, multi-layered inclination to different forms of not knowing. In contemporary society, she argues, this inclination forms part of a living art: in some respects, a passive, evasive strategy for self-preservation; in other respects, a strategy for coping with intrapersonal, interpersonal and social complexities.  Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources and original research, the analysis skillfully combines philosophical and socio-historical analysiswith theory from Chinese philosophy, philosophical psychology and the relatively new field of indigenous psychology, to provide an in-depth understanding of how Nande hutu has shaped, and continues to shape, the Chinese psyche and behaviour. This book will appeal to all readers looking for fresh insights into Chinese culture, and in particular to students and scholars of Chinese and Asian studies, cultural and social anthropology, and philosophical and indigenous psychology.

This book examines the popular, yet puzzling, Chinese saying Nande hutu 难得糊涂 to uncover how the ancient Chinese wisdom of not knowing is constructed, interpreted, practiced and valued in contemporary society.Originating in the calligraphy of Qing-dynasty scholar Zheng Banqiao, Nande hutu translates literally as: “hard to attain muddle-headedness”. Mieke Matthyssen traces the historical development of this saying and related philosophies to reveal a culturally conditioned, multi-layered inclination to different forms of not knowing. In contemporary society, she argues, this inclination forms part of a living art: in some respects, a passive, evasive strategy for self-preservation; in other respects, a strategy for coping with intrapersonal, interpersonal and social complexities.  Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources and original research, the analysis skillfully combines philosophical and socio-historical analysiswith theory from Chinese philosophy, philosophical psychology and the relatively new field of indigenous psychology, to provide an in-depth understanding of how Nande hutu has shaped, and continues to shape, the Chinese psyche and behaviour. This book will appeal to all readers looking for fresh insights into Chinese culture, and in particular to students and scholars of Chinese and Asian studies, cultural and social anthropology, and philosophical and indigenous psychology.

This interdisciplinary edited collection addresses issues at the intersection of indigenous psychology, market ideology, values, and technology. The aims of this book arise from the recognition that whereas the unfolding of the agricultural revolution over thousands of years allowed for the gradual co-evolution of values and technology to blossom, the post-industrial technological revolution is so accelerated that there has been little time for the co-evolution of values. To address this, the chapters collected here seek to initiate a conversation that will provide the conceptual space for the evolution of values that can keep pace with contemporary developments in the machine and the market. In this conversation, they argue, indigenous psychologies will necessarily play a central role for two reasons: firstly, as alternative systems of thought they enable a productive interrogation of the rationality of machine and the market; and second, examples of the impact of technology and the market on traditional societies hold lessons for potential future impacts on the society as a whole. This timely work offers fresh insights that will appeal to students and scholars of psychology, cultural and religious studies, anthropology, business and economics, and science and technology studies.

This interdisciplinary edited collection addresses issues at the intersection of indigenous psychology, market ideology, values, and technology. The aims of this book arise from the recognition that whereas the unfolding of the agricultural revolution over thousands of years allowed for the gradual co-evolution of values and technology to blossom, the post-industrial technological revolution is so accelerated that there has been little time for the co-evolution of values. To address this, the chapters collected here seek to initiate a conversation that will provide the conceptual space for the evolution of values that can keep pace with contemporary developments in the machine and the market. In this conversation, they argue, indigenous psychologies will necessarily play a central role for two reasons: firstly, as alternative systems of thought they enable a productive interrogation of the rationality of machine and the market; and second, examples of the impact of technology and the market on traditional societies hold lessons for potential future impacts on the society as a whole. This timely work offers fresh insights that will appeal to students and scholars of psychology, cultural and religious studies, anthropology, business and economics, and science and technology studies.

This book provides a groundbreaking examination of the interplay between culture and politics in Indigenous psychology, a field that challenges the perceived universality of Western psychological norms by emphasizing the cultural specificity of local communities. By assembling leading experts and innovative research from across five continents, the book addresses the under-theorized relationship between culture and politics, two central pillars of Indigenous psychology. Contributors to this volume employ a cultural politics approach, an interdisciplinary lens that encourages critical inquiry into everyday practices and structural issues such as globalization, racial relations, and power dynamics. The book delves into the mechanisms of colonization, the ongoing tension between contextualists and globalists in psychological science, and the role of indigenous resistance in shaping future applications of Indigenous psychology. It concludes with a critical reflection on the achievements and limitations of the Indigenous psychology movement to date. This volume is an essential resource for scholars and practitioners of Indigenous psychology, as well as those engaged in sociology, anthropology, political science, Marxism, and the philosophy of science. It invites readers to rethink the foundational elements of psychology through the lens of cultural and political dynamics.

Indigenous Psychology and Decolonial Approaches in Latin America: Perspectives on Colonial Trauma offers a groundbreaking exploration of Indigenous psychological frameworks as tools of resistance, healing, and epistemological transformation in postcolonial Latin America. Estevão Rafael Fernandes, an anthropologist specializing in South American Indigenous communities, presents a richly interdisciplinary study that foregrounds the lived experiences of Indigenous, Afro-Latin, and Latina women across the continent.Drawing on decolonial theory and Indigenous epistemologies, the book examines how colonial trauma continues to shape psychological landscapes through systemic violence, cultural erasure, and environmental degradation. Fernandes engages with thinkers such as Aníbal Quijano, Lélia Gonzalez, and Gloria Anzaldúa to illuminate how Indigenous Psychology challenges Western paradigms and offers culturally grounded alternatives to dominant therapeutic models.Through case studies of Afro-diasporic religions, feminist resistance movements, and community-led healing initiatives, the book reveals how spiritual practices, embodied knowledge, and relational identity serve as powerful mechanisms for psychological resilience and cultural continuity. It also addresses the complexities of urban Indigenous youth, LGBTQ+ identities, and religious pluralism, emphasizing the dynamic adaptability of Indigenous psychological practices.This book contributes to the growing field of Indigenous Psychology by offering a situated, intersectional, and politically engaged analysis that resists universalizing frameworks. It is essential reading for scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the interplay between colonial histories, cultural identity, and mental health in Latin America. By centering marginalized voices and decolonial praxis, Fernandes provides a compelling vision for reimagining psychology as a tool for collective healing and social transformation.

This study examines the suffering narratives of the Bimo and Christian religious communities of the Yi minority who reside in the remote mountains of Sichuan and Yunnan, China, respectively. It is informed by the theoretical framework of ecological rationality, which posits that religions influence and are influenced by cognitive styles that have co-evolved with the ecological niche of a culture. It was predicted and found that in times of adversity, traditional religious communities differ in emotion expression, causal attribution, and help-seeking behavior, with far-reaching ramifications for how they are uniquely vulnerable to the ravages of modernization. The authors hope that the voices of the study participants, heard through their harrowing narratives, may inspire a deepened sensitivity to the plight of rural Chinese communities as China races to become a superpower in the global economy.

This study examines the suffering narratives of the Bimo and Christian religious communities of the Yi minority who reside in the remote mountains of Sichuan and Yunnan, China, respectively. It is informed by the theoretical framework of ecological rationality, which posits that religions influence and are influenced by cognitive styles that have co-evolved with the ecological niche of a culture. It was predicted and found that in times of adversity, traditional religious communities differ in emotion expression, causal attribution, and help-seeking behavior, with far-reaching ramifications for how they are uniquely vulnerable to the ravages of modernization. The authors hope that the voices of the study participants, heard through their harrowing narratives, may inspire a deepened sensitivity to the plight of rural Chinese communities as China races to become a superpower in the global economy.