by Nell Andersson
This week in DSPAI lab, members had a discussion about research activism. A number of members expressed their hesitancy to align with the term, due the historical separation of activism and research. Much of this hesitancy appears to be rooted in an internalized colonial mindset. To call ourselves “Research Activists” would mean breaking an unspoken “rule” held by the psychology research community. But the field of psychological research is limited with this separation, to the point where many questions about oppression and privilege cannot seemingly be answered without research activists leading the charge. How can we push against the elders who uphold research tradition to create something new that combines our knowledge and passion towards decolonizing yet another colonial aspect of our field? The hope is that one day research activism is something that is normalized, perhaps even expected, and at that point will we begin to scratch the surface of the areas of psychology that have laid untouched and unrepresented for far too long.
Nell Andersson (she/her)
Nell Andersson is a second year student in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral (Psy.D.) program at Antioch University Seattle (AUS). In 2015, she graduated with her B.A. in Psychology from Goucher College and, in 2019, she graduated with her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver. Ms. Andersson has experience working with children, adolescents, and adult women, with focus on relationships, trauma, and substance abuse. Currently, she is a member of the AUS Decoloniality and Social Justice Initiative with hopes of improving the field of Psychology.