Riven by poor governance and outright corruption, the British Psychological Society (BPS) may now be in terminal decline. Individual members have left it in despair and some groups (for example clinical, educational and organisational psychologists) have already organised themselves outside of the Society, in protest against its mismanagement and distorted priorities. Onlookers are bemused by a simple fact: a psychological organisation has demonstrated total incompetence at understanding itself. Accordingly, today, the BPS is neither a learned nor a learning organisation.
This book describes this organisational crisis. It offers a critical account of the Societys recent history, which has mostly been hidden from public view, due to a lack of suitable democratic structures to ensure proper public scrutiny. Though it has charitable status, its governance has lacked independent trustees. Instead, priorities in the organisation have been compromised repeatedly by conflicts of interest, with an oligarchy of recycled names losing sight of the Societys shortcomings. In more recent times, these problems have been amplified by a managerial culture with little respect for academic integrity. These weak governance arrangements have led to policy capture by some interest groups which have led to public safety being threatened by the production of poor psychological advice to those on the outside. Those ordinary members opposing this skewed and risky advice have been suppressed by those at the top of the organisation.
This important book aims to provide a platform for ordinary members whose criticisms have thus far been suppressed. By promoting the voices of these objectors and exposing the cracks within the organisation, it attempts to bring truth to power.
Recenzijos
'A forensic analysis of the scandals and continuing failings of the organisation which represents itself as the ambassador and champion of British psychology. Essential reading for all British psychologists.' -- Professor Mike Wang, Chair, Association of Clinical Psychologists UK
About the editor and contributors Editor's Preface Chapter 1 The history of the BPS crisis David Pilgrim Chapter 2 The lure of the toxic leader Graham Buchanan Chapter 3 Resisting the silence of the cabal: resorting to social and alternative media Pat Harvey Chapter 4 Policy capture (1) at the BPS: the gender controversy Pat Harvey Chapter 5 Policy capture (2) at the BPS: the memory and law controversy Ashley Conway Chapter 6 An organisation without a memory? David Pilgrim Chapter 7 BPS bullshit David Pilgrim Chapter 8 What is the point of the BPS? David Pilgrim Chapter 9 Some afterthoughts Graham Buchanan, Ashley Conway and David Pilgrim Index
David Pilgrim, PhD, is Honorary Professor of Health and Social Policy at the University of Liverpool and Visiting Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton. Now semi-retired, he trained and worked in the NHS as a clinical psychologist before completing a PhD in psychology and then a Masters in sociology. With this mixed background, his career was split then between clinical work, teaching and mental health policy research. He remains active in the Division of Clinical Psychology and the History and Philosophy Section of the British Psychological Society, and was Chair of the latter between 2015 and 2018.
His publications include Understanding Mental Health: A Critical Realist Exploration (Routledge, 2015) and Key Concepts in Mental Health (5th edition, Sage, 2019). Others include A Sociology of Mental Health and Illness (Open University Press, 2005 and winner of the 2006 BMA Medical Book of the Year Award), Mental Health Policy in Britain (Palgrave, 2002) and Mental Health and Inequality (Palgrave, 2003) (all with Anne Rogers). His recent books are Child Sexual Abuse: Moral Panic or State of Denial? (Routledge, 2018) and Critical Realism for Psychologists (Routledge, 2020).
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