APA Handbook of the Psychology of Women Volume 1: History, Theory, and Battlegrounds, Volume 2: Perspectives on Women's Private and Public Lives
As a formal field of study, the psychology of women has pushed the
boundaries of traditional theory, produced breakthroughs in methodology,
and built links to some of the most challenging problems of our time.
It remains an intellectually vibrant and socially relevant area,
including initiatives that not only have changed the epistemology of
knowledge but also have expanded our understanding of ourselves and of
the world.
Across this two-volume set, chapter authors provide
scholarly reviews and in-depth analyses of subjects within their areas
of expertise. Themes of status and power inform many chapters. Volume 1
begins by outlining the emergence of the psychology of women and its
connections with the women's movement. This is followed by feminist
critiques of theory, descriptions of innovative methodologies, and
discussions of difference and similarity, both between women and men and
between gender and sexuality. The social and economic contexts
surrounding these issues are reviewed, as are dichotomies sustained by
sexism, stereotypes, and prejudice. Volume 1 concludes with chapters
that address the uniquely intersecting components of individual
experience.
Volume 2 focuses on applied subjects. It begins with a
section on psychological well-being, including therapeutic models of
gender, feminist goals of empowerment, multicultural feminism, and the
borderlands of gender identity. Following is a discussion of close
relationships, including issues of intimacy, equity, and changing models
of family. Victimization and narratives of victimhood are described
next, as are leadership, community, politics, and women in the
workplace. The volume concludes with a discussion of women's roles and
agency throughout the world, with special attention given to human
rights and reproductive justice.