Women's organisations in psychology: Institutional constraints on disciplinary change

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Following recent contentions that the impact of feminist psychology has been relatively limited, this article examines some of the strategies employed by one type of academic institution ‐ academic‐professional societies ‐ to contain challenges to their scholarship and organisation. It focuses on women's attempts to organise within their national psychological societies in five countries, with particular attention to comparisons between the UK and Australia. Using a sociology of science framework, it demonstrates that an analysis of the constraints imposed on such organisational activity can illuminate the processes of disciplinary stasis and change. Finally, the paper argues that a reflexive consideration of the obstacles to disciplinary change is a prerequisite for ensuring the efficacy of such change.