Global Psychology from Indigenous Perspectives: Visions Inspired by K. S. Yang

306 Pages·2020·4.109 MB·English

by  Louise Sundararajan, Kwang-Kuo Hwang, Kuang-Hui Yeh

PALGRAVE STUDIES IN INDIGENOUS PSYCHOLOGY
Global Psychology
from Indigenous
Perspectives
Visions Inspired by K. S. Yang
Edited by
Louise Sundararajan · Kwang-Kuo Hwang ·
Kuang-Hui Yeh
Palgrave Studies in Indigenous Psychology
Series Editors
Louise Sundararajan
Independent Researcher
Rochester, NY, USA
Kuang-Hui Yeh
Institute of Ethnology
Academia Sinica
Taipei, Taiwan
Alvin Dueck
School of Psychology
Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, CA, USA
Thomas Teo
Department of Psychology
York University
Toronto, ON, Canada
Jeffrey Paul Ansloos
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
University of Toronto
Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Palgrave Studies in Indigenous Psychology aims to introduce psychol-
ogists and social scientists to the indigenous psychology movement
and to major theoretical and practical issues discussed in this tradition.
It publishes books that make significant contributions to psychology
in the era of globalization by asking important questions about the
discipline, profession, and practice of psychology. The series critically
appraises cultural assumptions and theoretical frameworks; sheds light
on the dialectics of the universal and the particular in human subjec-
tivity; goes beyond Western psychology in researching the ontological,
epistemological, ethical, spiritual, and aesthetic dimensions of the mental
life; addresses issues of structural oppression in the globalizing era;
and explores possibilities for a more equitable global psychology. Given
the interdisciplinary nature of indigenous psychology, this book series
welcomes contributions from all disciplines in the social sciences and the
humanities. In particular, it welcomes scholarship that embodies a crit-
icalthinkingthatisinformedbythelocalknowledge,andinspiredbythe
spiritual strivings of a culture.
More information about this series at
http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/15445
· ·
Louise Sundararajan Kwang-Kuo Hwang
Kuang-Hui Yeh
Editors
Global Psychology
from Indigenous
Perspectives
Visions Inspired by K. S. Yang
Editors
Louise Sundararajan Kwang-Kuo Hwang
Rochester, NY, USA Department of Psychology
National Taiwan University
Kuang-Hui Yeh Taipei, Taiwan
Institute of Ethnology
Kaohsiung Medical University
Academia Sinica
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Taipei, Taiwan
Palgrave Studies in Indigenous Psychology
ISBN 978-3-030-35124-3 ISBN 978-3-030-35125-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35125-0
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Foreword by Jong-Tsun Huang
ProfessorKuo-ShuYang(1932–2018)ismymentorevenafterhispassing
away.Hewasapersonalityandsocialpsychologistwithastrongbeliefthat
the betterment of the society could be achieved through a series of effec-
tive reforms. He believed that some prevailing mainstream paradigms,
politically or academically, must be removed or modified and the cure
is to reinstate indigenous concern and strengthen civic engagement. In
this deep sense, he was not only an academic person in the university but
also an intellectual in the society. It’s like a midnight conscience call to
remind him work harder for the establishment of a new and civil society.
His professional career was evolved through these two arenas, one is in
the university and the other in the society.
K. S. Yang served as the Editor-in-Chief for a political review journal
The Intellectual in the year 1971–1973 when he was a full professor at
theDepartmentofPsychologyintheNationalTaiwanUniversity.Taiwan
was still under the practice of martial law, it is thus by no means the
easy days for free talks concerning Taiwan democracy. The Intellectual,
however,wasmadeunderstrongdeterminationoftheintellectualsasone
of the most powerful incubators for promoting democracy in the society
at that critical time. The commitment and devotion of K. S. Yang on
this track continued until mid-1990s. He was instrumental to enhance
themutualunderstandingamongopposingforcesinthechangingsociety.
HejoinedtheliberalscholarstofacilitatetheestablishmentofDemocratic
ProgressivePartyin1986.Hewasalsoawell-knownsymbolicparticipant
v
vi FOREWORD BY JONG-TSUN HUANG
in a handful of civic and educational movements during this period. It’s
reasonable to conclude from this record of civic participation that he had
beendeeplyrootedwithinthesocial-culturalandhistoricalcontextofthe
changing society. The inspirations from this intense interaction with the
society might then be accommodated into his research activities on the
study of personality and social psychology.
Taiwan martial law was finally lifted in 1987. K. S. Yang began his
successful founding of Taipei Society in 1989, which is a gathering of
Taiwan intellectuals inspired by the operation of British Fabian Society.
Later on, he spent most of his time to define the domain and push
forwardthemovementtolaunchthedisciplineofindigenouspsychology,
including a periodical of the first of its kind journal of indigenous
psychology (Indigenous Psychological Research in Chinese Societies) in
1993. In sum, it seems to be a dual track of career development for
Professor Yang, but not a surprise to me, it’s two sides on the same coin.
The innovative part of psychology on his due could simply be a continu-
ation or an echo from both his dedication toward the Taiwan democracy
and the long-lasting thinking to put the social-cultural relevance back to
hispsychologicalframework.Hisfirstsystematicinvolvementinthestudy
ofChinesepersonalityin1972andthesinicizationofsocialandbehavioral
science research in 1982 set the beginning phase to pave the way toward
the conceptualization of indigenization. Terminology like Chinese and
Sinicization had been modified afterwards as Chinese people and Indi-
genization to extend to broader and pluralistic domains. More relevant
issues were explored concerning indigenization of social and behavioral
science research in Chinese societies. The systematic endeavor flourished
from the latter part of 1980s and launched the professional journal in
1993.
The two strands of development could be conceived as mutually
interactive and they might reinforce each other. After the indigenous
psychology movement had been well-received in mid-1990s, K. S. Yang
retreated from the political arena and moved intentionally to a broader
academic community to call for a global (human) psychology.
For some distinguished masters, they can step out for social engage-
ment and walk in for academic career in distinct ways. Noam Chomsky
forexample,isfamousforhismasterpieceofdefendingtheuniversalityin
the emergence of syntactical structure and in language learning, while he
wasspeakingfortheculturaldiversityinvarioussocialdialogues.Butthis
is not the case for K. S. Yang. He was committed and contributed to the
FOREWORD BY JONG-TSUN HUANG vii
earlydevelopmentofdemocracyinTaiwan.Aboutatthesametimeframe,
he formulated the backbone of indigenous approach and emphasize the
social and cultural context, namely, the notion of indigenous compati-
bility. A continuity seems to be established between social dialogues and
academic innovations. It is at first revolutionary to create a tension with
the mainstreaminthe society or inthe academy then comes evolutionary
to be reconciled and integrated with the mainstream in a modified form.
The narrative is very much like the reform and development of Taiwan
democracy. In the same vein, indigenous approach was suggested first,
then world psychology.
The notion of indigenous compatibility was first proposed to refer to
a psychological explanation or narrative that must be grounded on the
social-cultural context that is relevant with the target problems in discus-
sion, like face, serendipity, filial piety, religious piety, and human destiny
issues. After fulfillment of the basic requirements of indigenous compat-
ibility, global (human) psychology can then hopefully be reconstructed
fromdiverseandcharacteristicindigenouspsychologies.Commonthemes
can thus be extracted from the solid extensions that are all based on the
narratives with sufficient indigenous compatibility. At its best, the extrac-
tion and integration could be achieved like a orchestrated symphony. It
is more equitable and pay respect to diverse human ecologies. More than
that, it’s also the real science behind the genuine study of these human
phenomena.Althoughnotallbutmanyofhumanphenomenaarecontex-
tualized along social-cultural dimensions, they should not be studied in
vacuum or in isolation. One of the unsatisfactory professionalism is the
lazyapplicationofthedominantorso-calledmainstreamtheoryinhands.
Although some of the key elements of the approach are still in debate,
the above-mentioned concepts have been suggested before 1993 and
made popular later through the innovative efforts of K. S. Yang and
colleagues. In this respect, his initial contribution is comparable to the
influential approach for the guiding principles of ecological optics and
ecological perception at its first formulation by James J. Gibson (1904–
1979) in mid-1960s. Both of these approaches began with a creative
attack on the mainstream but later developed into a solid part of the
mainstream.
K. S. Yang was a social reformer rather than a social activist. He is
a public intellectual and a mentor to the society. He was committed
to finding the relevant social and political issues then engaged with the
viii FOREWORD BY JONG-TSUN HUANG
society to find the solution. From this line of comparison, he was consis-
tent in his approach both the reform of the society and the promotion of
indigenous and world (human) psychology.
Onemorethingdeservesmention,thebooktitleGlobalPsychologyfrom
IndigenousPerspectives:VisionsInspiredbyK.S.Yang catchnicelythezeit-
geist of Professor K. S. Yang’s long-lasting commitment toward finding
the lost paradise back to the mainstream.
Jong-Tsun Huang
Professor Emeritus
Department of Psychology
National Taiwan University
Taipei, Taiwan
University Professor
Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences
China Medical University
Taichung, Taiwan
Foreword by Chi-Yue Chiu
Celebrating the Legacy of K. S.
Yang: A Letter to the Readers
Dear readers,
May this volume be a weighty tome; for it carries loads of affection and
lots of inspirations—affection for a nurturing mentor and inspirations
from an enlightening sage! In this reading journey, you will indulge in
the many moving stories about the big heart of a great mind, and be
absorbed in the captivating dialogues among an intellectual giant and
those standing on his shoulders.
The centerpiece of this volume is Prof. K. S. Yang’s last but not
least published article on global psychology. This masterpiece is an awe-
inspiring execution of conceptual cubism, accomplished by bringing
together seemingly disparate conceptual views to create a futuristic
vision of global psychology from indigenous perspectives. Captured in
the present volume are lively colocutions concerning the desirability
and prospect of this vision. To render this extended conversation trail
tractable, I shall spare you a commentary on the commentaries of the
commentaries of this masterpiece. Instead, to emulate Prof. Yang’s intel-
lectualplayfulness,Iwillventurebeyondthewritingconventionforfore-
words and introduce variations to the symphonic composition of Prof.
Yang’s protrait contained in this volume.
ix