Primer in Critical Personalism

<p>This insightful book offers contemporary psychologists and other social theorists an understanding of the comprehensive system of thought developed by the German scholar William Stern (1871–1938) known as critical personalism.</p><p>Expanding the author’s ongoing efforts in this area the book considers firstly how critical personalism could ground a needed revival of psychological science a need created by the field's gradual transformation through its widespread adoption of aggregate statistical methods of investigation into a discipline better characterized as 'psycho-demography.' Consistent with Stern's own view of the potential of critical personalism <em>vis-a-vis</em> socio-ethical concerns the book then explores how the framework could facilitate a transcendence of thinking about racial and other social relationships beyond currently prevailing narratives about <em>personkinds</em> into narratives that are actually about <em>persons.</em> This part of the book includes a chapter discussing Stern's own historical efforts in this direction serving to highlight the non-individualistic nature of critically personalistic thinking. Throughout Lamiell constructs a clear case for the merits and applicability of critical personalism in modern psychology and social thought.</p><p><i>Primer in Critical Personalism</i> will interest established psychological scientists and advanced students in the field as well as those who are concerned about our contemporary socio-cultural ethos and the prospects for its improvement including philosophers sociologists educators journalists clerics and thoughtful laypersons alike.</p>