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    British Psychology in Crisis: A Case Study in Organisational Dysfunction

    Editor: David Pilgrim

    Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating
    (2 customer reviews)

    £15.29 – £21.99

    Contributors Graham Buchanan, Ashley Conway, Pat Harvey, and David Pilgrim describe the current organisational crisis in the British Psychological Society. They offer a critical account of the Society’s recent history, which the BPS might wish to hide from public view, and investigate how the organisation has reached such a parlous state.

    Look inside!

    Also by David Pilgrim: Identity Politics: Where Did It All Go Wrong?

    Editor

    David Pilgrim

    ISBN

    9781800131842

    Format

    Paperback, e-Book, Print & e-Book

    Page Extent

    194

    Publication Date

    July 2023

    Subject Areas

    Organisational Psychology, Psychology, Psychosocial Studies

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    • Description
    • About the editor
    • Contents
    Description

    Riven by poor governance and outright corruption, the British Psychological Society (BPS) may now be in terminal decline. Individual members have left it in despair and some groups (for example clinical, educational and organisational psychologists) have already organised themselves outside of the Society, in protest against its mismanagement and distorted priorities. Onlookers are bemused by a simple fact: a psychological organisation has demonstrated total incompetence at understanding itself. Accordingly, today, the BPS is neither a learned nor a learning organisation.

    This book describes this organisational crisis. It offers a critical account of the Society’s recent history, which has mostly been hidden from public view, due to a lack of suitable democratic structures to ensure proper public scrutiny. Though it has charitable status, its governance has lacked independent trustees. Instead, priorities in the organisation have been compromised repeatedly by conflicts of interest, with an oligarchy of recycled names losing sight of the Society’s shortcomings. In more recent times, these problems have been amplified by a managerial culture with little respect for academic integrity. These weak governance arrangements have led to policy capture by some interest groups which have led to public safety being threatened by the production of poor psychological advice to those on the outside. Those ordinary members opposing this skewed and risky advice have been suppressed by those at the top of the organisation.

    This important book aims to provide a platform for ordinary members whose criticisms have thus far been suppressed. By promoting the voices of these objectors and exposing the cracks within the organisation, it attempts to bring truth to power.

    About the editor

    About the editor

    David Pilgrim, PhD, is Honorary Professor of Health and Social Policy at the University of Liverpool and Visiting Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Southampton. Now semi-retired, his career embraced clinical work, teaching, and mental health policy research. He remains active in the Division of Clinical Psychology and the History and Philosophy Section of the British Psychological Society, and was chair of the latter (2015–2018). He is author of a number of books, including Critical Realism for Psychologists (Routledge, 2020).

    Contents

    Contents

    About the editor and contributors
    Editor’s Preface

    Chapter 1
    The history of the BPS crisis
    David Pilgrim

    Chapter 2
    The lure of the toxic leader
    Graham Buchanan

    Chapter 3
    Resisting the silence of the cabal: resorting to social and alternative media
    Pat Harvey

    Chapter 4
    Policy capture (1) at the BPS: the gender controversy
    Pat Harvey

    Chapter 5
    Policy capture (2) at the BPS: the memory and law controversy
    Ashley Conway

    Chapter 6
    An organisation without a memory?
    David Pilgrim

    Chapter 7
    BPS bullshit
    David Pilgrim

    Chapter 8
    What is the point of the BPS?
    David Pilgrim

    Chapter 9
    Some afterthoughts
    Graham Buchanan, Ashley Conway and David Pilgrim

    Index

    2 reviews for British Psychology in Crisis: A Case Study in Organisational Dysfunction

    1. Professor Mike Wang, Chair, Association of Clinical Psychologists UK – 08/06/2023

      ‘A forensic analysis of the scandals and continuing failings of the organisation which represents itself as the ambassador and champion of British psychology. Essential reading for all British psychologists.’

    2. carolyn brown (verified owner) – 24/07/2023

      Rated 5 out of 5

      An excellent and engaging read highlighting what happens to organisations where governance & lack of scrutiny are pervasive. Essential reading for all psychologists and related professionals.

      Carolyn Brown retired educational psychologist

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