by Dr. Bergkamp and Colleagues Publish New Article
Dr. Bergkamp and colleagues just published an article entitled Returning the colonizers gaze: Critiquing Whiteness in our training programs. This was an extension of work done by the Council of Chairs of Training Councils toolkit on Social responsiveness in health service psychology education and training. Dr. Bergkamp was involved in addressing readiness to change in doctoral level education. Out of that work, a group of motivated collaborators came together to address issues of coloniality and implicit white supremacist values in our training programs.
Abstract: Psychology training in North America faces a critical threat of White supremacy born from ignoring Whiteness imbedded in the training, which can no longer be ignored. We discuss Whiteness as an underlying force within our profession and training programs. This is followed by a review of critical race theory, decolonization, and indigenization of the academy as frameworks and the application of a developmental perspective to cultivate meaningful change on an individual and departmental level. Finally, we identify resources for assessing, remediating, and transforming psychology training programs at all levels. Our intent is to bring into focus the forces of sabotage that so commonly stifle well-intended deep structural change within psychology programs. In acknowledging this dynamic, identifying the powerful role of Whiteness, and encouraging developmental change, we hope that the contemporary decolonial call and action can be heard and authentically sustained.
Photo courtesy of Tamara Gak