Abstract
An increasing number of psychologists in Australia have been contributing to the theory and practice of psychology as it relates to peace, social conflict and violence. This chapter explores the stories of five Australian ‘peace psychologists’ who are working in the local community, more broadly in the region, as well as in the larger international arena. Their stories of hardship, struggles, partnerships, joys and accomplishments are unique, educational and especially inspirational to the newer generation of peace psychologists. The chapter focuses on the influences that have shaped their personal beliefs and approaches to peace, including significant people and events that have motivated and empowered them in their professional practices. Key challenges faced by these individuals are also highlighted. The chapter ends by drawing out lessons learned from those interviewed so as to offer valuable advice and recommendations to future peace psychology practitioners.
Implicit in the term ‘Australian peace psychologists’ is a number of sub-terms, which will now be briefly considered. A loose definition of ‘Australian’ is adopted, and includes those who consider themselves Australian but are working in the international community, as well as those who are based in Australia. For the purposes of this chapter, a ‘peace psychologist’ is someone who is engaged in work which is consistent with definitions and frameworks of ‘peace psychology’, whether or not they consider themselves to be a peace psychologist. In Australia, the title ‘psychologist’ cannot technically be used by an individual unless he or she is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia. In the current chapter the term psychologist is used to refer to someone with university qualifications majoring in psychology rather than a formally registered practitioner.
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These participants were identified in consultation with the editors of this book and so purposive sampling was carried out. The semi-structured interviews varied somewhat, with the order of questions asked altered to enhance the flow of the participant’s ‘story’ of his or her work. This is consistent with a constructivist approach to research. Further, clarifying and reflective questions were asked of participants in order to enhance the quality of the interpretation of the data. The qualitative data was analysed through a two-steps case interview analysis approach. Interviews were first transcribed. Key information was then selected according to themes. Both researchers were involved in the analysis process. Rather than imposing a set structure, case studies were presented in a way that best represented the narrative flow of the interview with the respective participant.
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Tipping, S., Law, SF. (2012). Australian Peace Psychologists at Work: From Theory to Practice. In: Bretherton, D., Balvin, N. (eds) Peace Psychology in Australia. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1403-2_14
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