Oral Presentation by Jean Nikola Cudina¹
¹ Hannover University, Germany
TIME: Wednesday, 15 July, 14:30 – 16:00
Location: Room 1
Session: 13
Abstract
This talk addresses a philosophical discussion on the foundations of critic in psychology by questioning its dominant conceptual and disciplinary structures. It is guided by a central question: How can critique be assumed as a constitutive and transversal principle of psychology, both in its scientific and professional dimensions? Rather than accepting the historically normative, technocratic, and adaptive orientation of mainstream psychology, this work argues for a conception of critique as a central and structuring axis of psychological practice. It proposes moving beyond a peripheral or reactive form of critique to one that actively reimagines the discipline from within. To this end, the concept of instituting psychology is introduced as an analytical tool to problematizing the normative structure of the discipline. The hypothesis is that critique should become a transversal force that permeates training, professional activity, research practices, and epistemological assumptions. This critique is a practice of continuous conceptual vigilance, capable of interrogating the categories that organize psychological knowledge, their ideological roles, and their social implications. I argue that instituting psychology offers a conceptual framework that embraces this ongoing critical task. It does not simply respond to disciplinary limits but interrogates the very conditions under which psychological knowledge is produced and legitimized. By doing so, it opens the possibility of transforming psychology at its core rethinking the discipline as a dynamic and ethical space of creation, reflection, and political engagement. This conceptual proposal situates critique as an ethical and political responsibility of psychological work, highlighting the capacity of professionals to participate in the transformation of their own field. The talk aims to contribute to a dialogical discussion guide to the construction of a reflective, situated, and socially committed psychology, one that understands critique as a horizon for its ethical and political reinvention.