In choosing themes for our psychology lecture series, we look for topics that have broad interest and that generate scientific research from a variety of perspectives. All invited speakers meet and network with St. Mary’s College psychology students. Lectures may be used to fulfill the Lecture Reflection Requirement in PSYC 206 and PSYC 493/494. All lectures are free and open to the general public. We are grateful to our 2023-24 Lecture Series sponsor: the Lecture & Fine Arts Committee.
2023-24 Psychology Lecture Series: The Psychology of Conflict and Peace
The psychology department welcomes you to join us for this year’s lecture series which will explore will explore various elements of the Psychology of Conflict and Peace by inviting four social scientists who study conflict and resolutions from varied disciplinary perspectives such as social psychology (e.g., interpersonal conflict, intergroup apologies), developmental psychology (e.g., child development and resilience in war), clinical/counseling psychology (e.g., PTSD and treatment of mental distress among refugees), and/or cognitive psychology (e.g., decision making and support for political violence). Two of the four speakers will give virtual lectures.
Friday, September 29 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm; via Zoom (passcode: 608441).
Dr. Laura Miller-Graff (University of Notre Dame) will present “Bandaids on Bullet wounds? Ethical and contextual considerations in providing psychosocial support in conflict-affected settings.“ Providing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in conflict-affected settings has gained substantial support in the past decade, and represents an important step in foregrounding the serious psychological toll of conflict and violence on individuals, families, and communities. A number of scholars and practitioners, however, have raised important ethical and contextual considerations for MHPSS including what it means to provide care in contexts where violence is ongoing, and the extent to which the provision of care may turn attention away from addressing and preventing violence — a root cause of distress. Concerns have also been raised about the “export” of psychological practices from the global West with little to no consideration of cultural and contextual adaptation. Enlivened by real-world examples of MHPSS research and programs for children and families, this talk will address the evidence-basis for MHPSS in conflict-affected settings as well as ethical quandaries encountered by researchers and practitioners and possible ways forward. We will discuss questions regarding the contextual and cultural adaptation of MHPSS programs and next steps in the movement towards providing ethical, equitable and dignified care for individuals and families whose lives are affected by violence.
Friday, December 1 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm; Goodpaster Hall 195
Dr. Ashwini Ashokkumar (New York University) will speak on “Title TBD.” Dr. Ashokkumar’s research seeks to understand how social and political identities help (or harm) the realization of two democratic ideas: (i) political deliberation and discussion, and (ii) social cohesion. Her recent work studies technologically mediated environments to illuminate the ways in which identity processes impact democracy in the digital age.
Friday, February 2 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm; via Zoom – Meeting ID: 844 8197 4117, Passcode: 891794
Dr. Oksana Yakushko (Co-founder of the Cathexis Psychological Group; APA Fellow) will present on “Title TBD” (topic re: the war in Ukraine and its psychological impact on refugees and trauma). A member of the Ukrainian American diaspora, Dr. Yakushko is a licensed psychologist and psychoanalyst, scholar, speaker, and consultant based in Santa Barbara, California. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), and a member of American Psychoanalytic Association, International Psychoanalytic Association, and the International Forum for Psychoanalytic Education. Recent accolades include being named a Distinguished Leader for Women in Psychology by the APA in 2021, and the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology of APA in 2023.
Friday, March 22 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Goodpaster Hall 195
Michael Becker, M.A. (American University) will speak on “Title TBD.” Michael H. Becker is a doctoral student at American University in the Justice, Law, and Criminology program and an adjunct professional lecturer there. He has a M.A. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland. His work focuses on radicalization and violent extremism and aims to develop empirical strategies for understanding how individuals come to engage in political crime and criminal violence.
Previous lecture series topics:
- 2023-23: The Psychology of Close Relationships
- 2021-22: The Psychology of COVID-19 and Public Health
- 2020-21: Intervention Science: Harnessing Psychology to Address Oppressive Systems
- 2019-20: Psychology of the Opioid Crisis
- 2018-19: Psychology of Work and Play
- 2017-18: Psychology of Oppression
- 2016-17: Psychology Across the Globe: Cross-Cultural Perspectives
- 2015-16: Autism Spectrum Disorder: Fact and fiction
- 2014-15: Benefits and Risks of Technology Use on Children in the Home and at School
- 2013-14: Health and the Obesity “Crisis”
- 2012-13: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
- 2011-12: Populations in Need