Social Therapeutics

22 Jan

Posted at 15:06h in Community Organizing, Culture, Education, Learning Environments, Performance Movement, Psychology of Becoming, Social Therapeutics

January 22, 2010 In 2004 I initiated a program to support grassroots social entrepreneurs and activist-scholars whose work is too new or innovative or radical to get much support. The program is called  The International Class of the East Side Institute. As of today, over 50 people from five U.S. States...

30 Oct

Posted at 22:10h in Community Organizing, Culture, Education, Learning Environments, Outside of School, Performance Movement, Psychology of Becoming, Social Therapeutics, Vygotsky, Youth Development

October 30, 2009 These days, la Cuidad Juárez in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico is pretty much known for one thing—violent crime. No denying the destruction of life and transformation of culture that’s hit this city so hard. But it is not the whole story (it never is). [caption id="attachment_321" align="alignleft" width="300"...

16 Sep

Posted at 16:58h in Culture, Language, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Social Therapeutics

September 16, 2009 In a few weeks, I’ll begin working (and playing) with a new International Class—grass roots community activists and scholars who will gather at the East Side Institute for their first residency. Coming from different places and professions, they share a desire to change the world—and an eagerness to...

19 Aug

Posted at 20:08h in Activity Theory, Community Organizing, Culture, Education, Language, Learning Environments, Outside of School, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Reviews, Social Therapeutics, Vygotsky

August 19, 2009 Popular books, especially if they relate to current events, get reviewed  as soon as they are published—and sometimes before. Not so academic books. Alas, it's typically a year before a review appears in print. So I was pleasantly surprised today to find an email in my inbox from...

09 Apr

Posted at 03:07h in Activity Theory, Language, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Social Therapeutics, Vygotsky

April 7, 2009 I've been making a series of presentations in recent months around New York City and I've thoroughly enjoyed speaking with diverse audiences of undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staffs at universities, conferences and human service organizations. The topics of my talks have varied—"Play is the Thing," "Learning in...

07 Feb

Posted at 08:42h in Culture, Performance Movement, Politics, Postmodern Marxism, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Social Therapeutics, Youth Development

February 7, 2009 I'm excited about a new course offering of the East Side Institute, where I am privileged to be director. It's entitled, "Conversations with a Black Minority: Postmodern Marxists in Dialogue about a New and Innovative Approach to "Black" Psychology," and it will be led by four powerful African...

05 Feb

Posted at 00:53h in Culture, Performance Movement, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Social Therapeutics, Youth Development

Some Words from Ana Marjanovic-Shane The headquarters of the East Side Institute was crowded with friends and colleagues and their friends and colleagues as we launched my new book, Vygotsky at Work and Play on January 23. We interrupted the chatter of conversation and book signing with a short program. Rafael...

31 Oct

Posted at 23:44h in Social Therapeutics

Ishita Sanyel, founder of one of the first and most innovative centers in India for people with mental illness, has begun training colleague in social therapy. Her organization, an NGO in Calcutta, is called Turning Point. Ishital is a clinical psychologist and graduate of the East Side Institute’s 2007-2008 International...