On SPSSI's first twenty years.

Abstract

This article provides a concluding commentary for a thematic issue of the Journal of Social Issues (JSI) dealing with the intertwining of psychology, history, and social issues.First we show how the social issues addressed and the scholarly approach in this journal collection are consistent with the JSI tradition.Then we contend that the questions asked in more traditional areas of psychology and in examining the intersection of history and psychology bear a resemblance.Next we identify three themes that cut across the articles in the collection: the role of social injustice in shaping identities, the depiction of history varies by who describes it, and responses to social histories are shaped by multiple forces.Finally, we consider policy implications focusing on how identities and group boundaries are important in policy advocacy and the use of policy to seek redress of injustices.The current volume represents an innovative step in examining how psychology and history intertwine in the analysis of social issues.Even if our analysis of the past is incorrect, or if we are unaware of its impact, history casts its shadow on individuals, groups and societies as a whole.Yet most psychologists-even those concerned with contextual factors-have tended to shy away from studying how history gives rise to and in other ways relates to today's social issues.

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