The program will reflect three theoretical approaches to analyze the intersection of consciousness and society: Humanistic, Critical, & Transpersonal. These approaches will serve as reflexive and reflective anchors to the scholarly trajectory of our students in developing their own research interests. The doctoral program draws on the humanistic-existential foundations that addresses the phenomenological grounding of consciousness and interrogates relevant research in psychology and other disciplines, from philosophy to the neurosciences. This entails drawing upon the classical texts in the discipline and studies emerging in transpersonal psychologies, with their interest in mind/body questions, and current interdisciplinary work in embodiment and mind/body. The program’s study of consciousness will also be informed by critical traditions that examine the historical position of the discipline as well as cultural representations and practices in order to understand the constitution of consciousness and the subject within institutional and social contexts. Our commitment to praxis entails a commitment to engaged forms of research such as those consonant with the Social Justice movement in psychology.
All of the theoretical perspectives that inform the curriculum indicate a fundamental value of the program, to privilege the question of one’s subjective accounting of an event, either in experiential or discursive terms. Whether in terms of reflexivity or awareness, this value links each of these traditions to more qualitative approaches to which the Departmental teaching is also committed. It is assumed that a truly ethical approach cannot hide behind generated knowledge but reflects values and an understanding of the historical and cultural place of the discipline and one’s own place and desires as a researcher.
In all of our classes and projects, the Psychology Department will offer a more integrative and nuanced approach toward consciousness and society, including an awareness of the less explored spiritual dimensions that inform individual and community life. This promise is made good in our foundation in transpersonal psychologies with their articulation of the wisdom traditions. Our broad based sense of the place of community life for the individual translates into our support of social justice and ecological and integrative thinking. It dovetails with our effort to continually creatively address the relationship between theory and praxis through more ethically informed and engaged modalities of research.