Beyond WEIRD: Psychobiography in Times of Transcultural and Transdisciplinary Perspectives

Description

This volume presents psychobiographical research in non-WEIRD―Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic―contexts and samples, focusing on culture, transcultural and transdisciplinary work. It creates a platform for researchers, scholars and scientists from diverse backgrounds to put forth new theoretical and methodological stances in psychobiography, thereby making the field more inclusive, diverse and equitable. The chapters in this volume investigate the role of context across the life course of non-WEIRD psychological subjects, as well as the interplay between them and their environments across the life span. They further elucidate cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of individuals with non-WEIRD backgrounds. The volume provides a broad and at the same time in-depth perspective into psychobiography beyond the usual contexts and therefore has new and original learnings to offer across disciplines and cultures. It is a breakthrough in terms of its transcultural and transdisciplinary insights into lives lived in different contexts in the world. "Every person is in certain respects (a) like all other persons, (b) like some other persons, (c) like no other persons.  This book is a challenging and fascinating exploration of extending psychobiography beyond its origins in Europe and America to women and men of different races and social and economic classes from Africa, Asia, and around the world. At its best, psychobiography can increase people's awareness of their own subjective experience and that of others, contributing to movements for social, cultural and political  change." William McKinley Runyan,  Professor Emeritus & Professor of the Graduate School,  School of Social Welfare, U. of California Berkeley Beyond Weird is beyond needed.  The book triumphantly fills the gap created by a dearth of studies of people other than Western, educated, European and American men.  James William Anderson, PhD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago. Foreword Acknowledgments Contents Editors and Contributors Psychobiography Beyond WEIRD? 1 The Value of Psychobiography 2 About WEIRD and Non-WEIRD in Psychobiography and Beyond It 3 Contribution and Aims of the Book 4 Introducing the Chapters of the Book References Part I: African and Asian Contexts Defying the Odds: A Psychobiographical Study of Nonkululeko Gobodo´s Career Development 1 Introduction 2 Formative Years 3 Career Development 3.1 Stage 1: Occupational and Organisational Choice (Initially Ages 18-30 but May Reoccur Later) 3.2 Stage 2: Early Career (Typically Ages 25-45) 3.3 Stage 3: Mid-Career (Typically Ages 40-60) 3.4 Stage 4: Late Career (Typically Ages 55 to Retirement) 4 Methodology 5 Findings 5.1 Stage 1: Occupational and Organisational Choice 5.2 Stage 2: Early Career 5.3 Stage 3: Mid-Career 5.4 Stage 4: Late Career 6 Discussion 7 Conclusion References The Career Development of Albertina Sisulu 1 Introduction 2 The Life of Albertina Sisulu (1918-2011): A Brief Overview 3 Career Development 4 Methodology 5 A Brief History of South Africa: 1900-2000 6 Findings and Discussion 6.1 Occupational and Organisational Choice (1936-1943) 6.2 Early Career (1943-1963) 6.3 Midcareer (1963-1973) 6.4 Late Career (1973-1996) 7 Conclusion References Zenzile Miriam Makeba: A Psychobiography of ``Mama Africa´´ from an Integrated African Psychology Perspective 1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Perspective: An Integrated African Psychology Perspective (IAPP) 3 The Psychobiographical Subject 3.1 Socio-Historical Context 3.2 WEIRD and Beyond WEIRD Research 4 Research Methodology 4.1 Data Collection Procedures and Ethical Considerations 4.2 Data Extraction and Analysis Procedures 4.3 Alexander´s Model of Salience 4.4 The Psycho-Historical Matrix 5 Findings and Discussion 5.1 The View of Human Nature Against the Backdrop of the Macro-Cosmos 5.2 The View of Human Nature Against the Backdrop of the Meso-Cosmos 5.3 The View of Human Nature Against the Backdrop of the Micro-Cosmos 5.4 Cognitive Functioning and the Concept of Time 5.5 Optimal Development and Mental Health 6 Conclusion References Tragic Optimism: A Psychobiography of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai 1 Introduction 2 Context of Zimbabwean Political Environment 3 Overview of Tsvangirai´s Life 3.1 Early Life 3.2 Marriage 3.3 Early Career 3.4 Political Career 4 Frankl´s Existential Theory 5 Aim of the Psychobiography 6 Methodology 6.1 Psychobiographical Subject 6.2 Data Collection, Extraction, and Analysis 7 Findings and Discussion 7.1 Freedom of Will 7.2 Will to Meaning 7.3 Meaning Triad 7.3.1 Creative Values 7.3.2 Experiential Values 7.3.3 Attitudinal Values 7.4 Tragic Triad 7.4.1 Pain/Suffering 7.4.2 Guilt 7.4.3 Death 8 Conclusion References The Moral Development of Albertina Sisulu Through Classic, Feminist and Indigenous Southern African Lenses 1 Introduction 2 The Sociohistorical Context of Albertina Sisulu 3 Theoretical Perspectives on Morality 4 Methodology 4.1 Psychobiographical Subject 4.2 Data Collection, Extraction and Analysis 5 Findings and Discussion 5.1 Era 1: Obeying the Rules 5.2 Era 2: Her Calling 5.3 Era 3: Political Awakening and Life-Long Activism 6 Conclusion References Part II: European Contexts ``Impressionen Unter Druck´´: A Psychobiography of Leni Riefenstahl 1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Background 2.1 Fairbairnian Object Relations: The ``Cathectic Conduit´´ 2.2 Authorization, Patronage, Mutuality: A Tripartite View of Interpersonal Relations 2.2.1 Authorization 2.2.2 Patronage 2.2.3 Mutuality 3 Methodology 4 Findings 4.1 Childhood 4.2 Stages: Dance Halls to Big Screen (1918-1926) 4.3 Leni as Auteur: Zwischen Wolf Und Megaphon 4.4 Outcast, Photographer, Underwater Explorer 5 Conclusion References Graça Simbine Machel: A Psychobiography of an Ultra-Committed Change-Maker and Global Woman Activist 1 Introduction 2 Graça Machel 3 Social Change and Social Change Agents 4 Psychosocial Personality Development 5 Research Methodology 5.1 Psychobiographical Subject 5.2 The Research Process 5.3 Ethical Considerations 5.4 Limitations of the Study 6 Findings and Discussion 6.1 Becoming a Social Change Agent 6.2 The Fight for Freedom and Becoming a Minister 6.3 First Lady in South Africa 7 Conclusion and Recommendations References ``Looking on Darkness Which the Blind Do See´´: Psychobiography from a Social Perspective 1 Introduction 2 Social Psychobiography 3 The WEIRD Concept 4 Hatshepsut 5 Sunjata 6 Conclusion References Socrates and Jesus: Between the Honour-Shame Cultural Code and the Twardowski School 1 Introduction 2 The Concept of Individuum in the Ancient Mediterranean World 3 Sociological-Anthropological Conceptual Framework: Honour-Shame Cultural Code 4 Socrates and Jesus 5 Psychological Interpretation 6 Lvov-Warsaw School Psychological Tradition and the Problem of Social Dominance 7 Conclusion References The Pedagogical Value of Psychobiography as Illustrated by an Examination of Eriksonian Psychosocial Development in the Life o... 1 Introduction 2 Conventional Conception of Erikson´s Theory of Psychosocial Development 3 The Life of Flora Tristan 4 The Interdependence of Identity and Generativity in the Life of Flora Tristan 5 The Struggle for Intimacy in the Life of Flora Tristan 6 A Richer Understanding of Erikson´s Theory of Psychosocial Development 7 Psychobiography in the Undergraduate Curriculum 8 Conclusion References Psychobiography of Chinese Celebrities: Body Language, Adult Observation and Learning History 1 Psychobiography and Learning History 2 My First Psychobiographical Analysis 3 Media Scenarios as a Seduction to Emotional (Partial) Identification 4 Between Confirmation and Ethical Controversy 5 Analysis of Chinese Celebrities 6 Basic Questions 7 Body Language as Nonverbal Communication Is Always a Process 8 Concept of Adult Observation 9 Personification, Role and Public Relations Competence 10 Analysis of Two Chinese Celebrities 10.1 Fan Bing Bing 10.2 Zhou Libo 11 Conclusion References Part III: US-American Contexts Oprah Gail Winfrey in Psychobiographical Perspectives: Meaning in Life in Existential and African Philosophy 1 Introduction 2 Meaning in Life from Existential European Perspectives 3 Meaning in Life from African Perspectives 4 Research Methodology 4.1 Research Paradigm and Approach 4.2 Sample and Sampling 4.3 Data Collection, Analysis, Interpretation, and Report 4.4 Ethical Considerations 4.5 Limitations 5 Meaning-Making in the Life of Oprah Gail Winfrey: Findings and Discussion 5.1 Childhood (1954-1967) and Adolescence (1968-1972) 5.2 Early Career (1973-1988) 5.3 Middle to Late Career (1988-2004) 6 Conclusion References In Search of a Calling: A Careerography of James Baldwin 1 Introduction 2 Initial Research Questions 3 Method 3.1 Procedure 3.1.1 Choosing the Subject 3.1.2 Reflexivity and Bracketing Biases 3.2 Anchoring Theory 3.2.1 Work as a Calling Theory 4 The Life Space of James Baldwin 4.1 The Learner and Witness 4.2 The Minister 4.3 The Writer 4.4 The Activist 5 Theory Application 6 Discussion References ``Water the Plants, Not the Weeds´´: A Narrative Identity Study of Black Resilience in the Aftermath of the Great Migration 1 Introduction 2 Resilience 3 Family Resilience 4 The Qualitative Narrative and Resilience 5 Present Narrative Identity Study 6 Overview of Lonnie B.´s Life Story 6.1 Self-Defining Memories, Narrative Scripts, and Resilience Themes 6.2 Captain America Shield 6.3 Please Do Not Look for Me in the Whirlwind Because I Will Be in School 6.4 I Expect Failure 6.5 Water the Plants, Not the Weeds 6.6 Narrative Script 7 Discussion 7.1 ``Keep Your Eyes´ on the Prize´´ 7.2 Lessons to Be Learned and Questions to Be Asked References Part IV: Comparative Psychobiographical Perspectives The Founders: Comparing Democracies in India and the US Through Cultural Biographies 1 A Tale of Two Democracies 2 From the General to the Mahatma 3 From the Enlightenment Man to Non-alignment 4 From the Constitutional Convention to the Buddha 5 A WEIRDest Conclusion References Angela Merkel and Graça Machel: The Comparative Heroine´s Journeys of Two Women Leaders Beyond WEIRD 1 Introduction 2 Women as Leaders in Psychobiography 3 The Heroine´s Journey 3.1 Heroine Separates from the Feminine 3.2 Identification with the Masculine and Gathering of Allies 3.3 Road and Trial, and Meeting of Ogres and Dragons 3.4 Experiencing the Boon of Success 3.5 Heroine Awakens to Feelings of Spiritual Aridity and Death: Saying No 3.6 Initiation and Descent to the Goddess 3.7 Heroine Urgently Yearns to Reconnect with the Feminine 3.8 Heroine Heals the Mother-Daughter Split 3.9 Heroine Heals the Wounded Masculine Within 3.10 Heroine Integrates the Masculine and Feminine: Beyond Duality 4 Research Methodology 5 Findings and Discussion 5.1 The Heroine´s Journey of Angela Merkel 5.2 The Heroine´s Journey of Graça Machel 5.3 Comparing the Heroine´s Journeys of Merkel and Machel 6 Reflecting (Critically) Upon the Theory of the Heroine´s Journey 7 Conclusion References From Billie Jean King to Naomi Osaka: One-Half Century of Promoting Social Justice through Women´s Tennis: A Multiple-Case Psy... 1 Introduction 2 Positioning Historic Subjects in a Non-WEIRD Context 3 Study Design 4 Centering Ethical Considerations 5 Data Sources 6 Chapter Structure 7 Billie Jean King: A Psychological Portrait of a Sports Icon and Pioneer 7.1 Theoretical Frameworks 7.2 A Psychological Portrait 7.3 An Athletic and Loving Familial Foundation (Birth-6 Years Old) 7.4 Finding Purpose in Life (6-19 Years Old) 7.5 Biggest Match of Her Life (20-34 Years Old) 7.6 Sexuality Revealed (35-65+ years) 8 Raising a Racket: A Psychological Portrait of Naomi Osaka 8.1 Theoretical Frameworks 8.2 A Psychological Portrait 8.3 A Hafu in Japan and America (Birth to 3 Years Old) 8.4 Playing to Win (3-11 Years Old) 8.5 A Hafu Representing Japan in America (12-18 Years Old) 8.6 On the World Stage (18-21 Years Old) 8.7 A Beacon for Change (22 Years Old to Present) 9 Discussion References Part V: Theoretical and Reflective Contemporary Perspectives and Future My Psychoanalytic Psychobiography and Methodology 1 Introduction 2 Research into the Creators of Modern Industrial Society 3 Nasmyth as an Example of My Minimal Theory Psychobiography 4 Methodology 5 The Importance of Facts and the Implementation of Primary and Secondary Sources 6 Probing the Unconscious 7 Dreams as a Useful Tool for Psychobiography 8 Conclusion References Epilogue: Reflections on the Futures of Psychobiography 1 Expanded Scope of Coverage Across Time, Country, Race, Gender, and Occupation 2 Theoretical Advancement and Expansion 3 Methodological Developments 4 Ethics in Psychobiography 5 The Future of Psychobiography with Non-WEIRD Samples and in Non-WEIRD Contexts References