Decolonizing and building liberatory psychological sciences

This chapter proposes a framework for decolonizing psychological sciences (DPS) as one step toward transforming the disciplines. The purpose of the DPS framework is to guide psychologists and the profession in decolonizing knowledge production; the framework outlines key processes needed to center Global Majority ways of knowing. The chapter uses the plural form of sciences to acknowledge the multiple psychologies practiced around the world; this helps decenter the normativity of Eurocentric psychology. To contextualize DPS, it first defines complementary literatures in decolonizing psychological sciences and psychologies for liberation. The chapter presents the DPS framework to identify core domains in creating richly contextual, strength-based sciences that focus on healing and support transformative changes. DPS adopts a multisystem approach (people, places, profession and practices) and prioritizes human relationships, ethical practices that humanizes participants and communities, culturally syntonic knowledge creation, engaged healing pedagogies, and structural equity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)