Abstract

Entering the third year of the COVID-19 era, the United States faces myriad problems with hate speech, misinformation, racial and politically based violence, and deep-rooted institutional abuses. Oppression of minorities making up the majority of the population contributes to mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. The problem of hate has been an active study by psychologists since World War II, but as of yet publications uniting interdisciplinary hate studies and community psychology are sparse compared to other interests. This essay addresses one such theory, liberation psychology, and how its approach may guide clinicians and institutions to a better understanding and support of communities and individuals with marginalized identities. The essay uses the lens of addressing hate to discuss the main interventions that make up the practical application of liberation psychology, not limited to the use of testimonios (stories of oppression), conscientization (a daily awakening to the impact of oppression), and praxis, how all human service providers should mobilize their resources and education in service of addressing hate against oppressed communities.

Recommended Citation

Edwards, Aaron (2023) "On Liberation Psychology, Hate, Hope, and Healing," Journal of Hate Studies: Vol. 18: Iss. 1, Article 3.
DOI: 10.33972/jhs.229
Available at: https://repository.gonzaga.edu/jhs/vol18/iss1/3