Dr Laura Anne Winter, CPsychol, is a Senior Lecturer in Education and Counselling Psychology, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologist (Counselling) based at the University of Manchester. She co-edited the 4th Edition of The SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy with Professor Colin Feltham and Dr Terry Hanley (Sage, 2017).

Her research interests include social justice, and in particular the impact of economic and relational inequality on wellbeing and education. Previous research has included exploring social justice within educational and counselling psychology, the impact of welfare reform on families and schools (specifically the ‘bedroom tax’), and the impact of ‘austerity’ on the way secondary schools are supporting pupil emotional wellbeing. Most recently, she has been involved in working which consider the relationship between therapy and politics.

Title: A closer look at ‘social justice’ in educational psychology: engaging with p/Politics 

Abstract: 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen the deepening of existing inequalities and oppressions, and the reach of poverty extend in our society. It is paramount, within this context, that practitioner psychologists pay attention to the social and political context of their work. In recent months, we have seen an increase in efforts both within and outside psychology focusing on ‘social justice’, ‘diversity’, and ‘inclusion’, which at first glance seems to be a step in the right direction.

This paper aims to shine a light on ‘social justice’ work, and raises the possibility that we may risk falling into empty statements of intention, if we do not pay attention and consider p/Politics within our ‘social justice’ ventures. Specifically, I suggest that an apolitical ‘social justice’ is not social justice. Drawing on recent research, I consider how p/Politics is understood and experienced in applied psychology and the therapeutic professions, reflecting on the “silence” in the discipline, the lack of training and support, and the complexity surrounding engaging with p/Politics within psychological practice. I argue that young people are p/Political, and therefore to promote social justice post COVID, educational psychologists should engage explicitly and reflexively with p/Politics in training, research and professional practice.