“I can imagine that convincing psychologists to put pen to paper to construct narratives of their own lives, revealing stories about significant influences in their personal and professional identities was no easy feat. Yancy and Hadley have done just this, and their edited book offers a fascinating way to gain greater insight into the theoretical ideas of key psychologists through their self-construction.” - Psychologist

“There is much to be inspired by, to reflect upon, to learn from, and to understand from a thorough reading of this book.” - Nordic Journal of Music Therapy

A collection of papers in which psychologists from various theoretical orientations participate in an exercise to discover how they became the "particular epistemic agents they are today." Narrative, social constructionist, feminist, postmodernist, poststructuralist, hermeneutic, existential, phenomenological, humanistic, critical, psychoanalytic, performative, social therapeutic - they are all here.” - Journal of Analytical Psychology

“Thirteen leading psychologists provide personal reflections on their professional identities within the context of their broader social lives. Their concepts of selfhood are examined through the lens of the theoretical assumptions used in their everyday work. These include narrative, feminist, social constructionist, postmodernist, hermeneutic, critical, poststructuralist, humanistic, and psychoanalytic therapeutic approaches.” - Book News

“What a fascinating and illuminating work! Yancy and Hadley have succeeded in inspiring a group of accomplished narratologists in psychology…to reflect on how their life experiences are connected to their scholarly exploration of narrative. The authors…offer us clear and insightful perspectives on the close links between personal and intellectual development.” - Ken Gergen, Mustin Professor of Psychology, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, and Mary Gergen, Professor of Psychology & Women's Studies, Penn State University, Delaware

“I found Yancy and Hadley’s collection of intellectual autobiographies to be a rich source for understanding and insight into the lives and innovations of the psychologists leading the development of new approaches in psychology.” - Donald E. Polkinghorne, PhD, Attallah Chair of Humanistic Psychology, University of Southern California

In this thoughtful collection, thirteen esteemed psychologists from diverse schools of thought—including social constructionism, narrative psychology, feminism, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis—examine their professional identities within the context of their personal biographies.

The contributors address challenging questions about identity in relation to personality development, language, and socialization. They demonstrate how their cultural and historical contexts influenced their theoretical approaches to the nature of "self" and how these ideas, in turn, shaped their perceptions of their personal histories.

This unique insight into the lives of highly influential psychologists is a valuable resource and engaging reading for psychologists reflecting on their professional practice, and for anyone exploring issues of selfhood and identity from a psychological or philosophical perspective.

Pages: 272, Year of Publication: 0415, Dimensions: 15.6x15.6cm