W(h)ither psychology of women?: Current trends and future directions for the section on women and psychology

This paper focuses on two areas critical to the reassessment of the Section on Women and Psychology (SWAP). In the first half, the following question is addressed: Is SWAP still needed? Relying on Canadian data where possible , a mixed pattern of gains and impasses is discussed in relation to the fol lowing areas: women's curtailed advancement; curricular neglect of psycholo gy of women; the (il)legitimate status of psychology of women and feminism; the rhetoric of equality, progress and individualism; and the (re)scientiz ing of psychology. The second half of the paper centres on specific pragmat ic strategies for increasing SWAP's membership and raising its national and international profile. Strategies discussed include expanding publication outlets, establishing awards to increase public recognition of women's cont ributions to the discipline, and expanding intradisciplinary efforts throug h jointly sponsored SWAP symposia and institutes. In 1981, Pyke and Stark-Adamec concluded their historical overview of the e volution of Canadian psychology of women as a disciplinary focus and the Ca nadian Psychological Association's (CPA) recognition and (delimited) integr ation of a feminist perspective with this provocative interrogative: Has the point been made? Can we now proceed toward the development of a psy chology that has relevance for both sexes, that refrains from arbitrarily l imiting human potential through the rigid endorsement of sex-role standards , that is free from both androcentric and gynocentric biases, and that deal s with its disciples, male and female, in an equitable, non-discriminatory fashion? (p. 50) This paper revisits these questions and basks whether sufficient progress h as been made to warrant jettisoning a separate CPA section devoted to promo ting research, teaching and practice in psychology of women. I argue that a lthough many inroads have been made since the inception of the Section on W omen and Psychology (SWAP) in 1976, there are several recent trends that su ggest a less than progressive narrative of psychology of women. Five such t rends are briefly discussed: women's curtailed advancement; curricular negl ect of psychology of women; the (il)legitimate status of psychology of wome n and feminism; the rhetoric of equality, progress, and individualism; and the (re)scientizing of psychology. Three pragmatic strategies are also prop osed for increasing SWAP's membership and raising its national and internat ional profile.