Social justice and multicultural competence have been inextricably linked for nearly four decades, influencing the development of multicultural competency standards and guidelines and organizational change in psychology. This response provides a historical perspective on the evolution of competencies and offers clarifications regarding their scope, actual counselor behavior, relationship to case conceptualization, and political implications. Advocacy strategies of social justice leaders such as César Chávez, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks are highlighted and recommended for incorporation in a counseling psychology social justice agenda.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychological Association. (2002). Multicultural guidelines on education and training, research, practice and organizational development for psychologists. Washington, DC: Author.
2.
Arredondo, P. (1999). Multicultural counseling competencies as tools to address oppression and racism. Journal of Counseling & Development, 77, 102-108.
3.
Arredondo, P., Toporek, R., Brown, S. P., Jones, J., Locke, D. C., Sanchez, J., & Stadler, H. (1996). Operationalization of the multicultural counseling competencies. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 24, 42-78.
4.
D'Andrea, M., Daniels, J., Arredondo, P., Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., Locke, D. C., et al. (2001). Fostering organizational changes to realize the revolutionary potential of the multicultural movement: An updated case study. In J. G. Ponterotto, J. M. Casas, L. A. Suzuki, & C. M. Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (pp. 222-254). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
5.
del Castillo, R. G., & Garcia, R. A. (1995). César Chávez—A triumph of spirit. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
6.
Esposito, L., & Murphy, J. W. (1999). Desensitizing Herbert Blumer's work on race relations: Recent applications of his group position theory to the study of contemporary race prejudice. Sociological Quarterly, 40, 397-410.
7.
Fine, M., & Weis, L. (1996). Writing the “wrongs” of fieldwork: Confronting our own research/writing dilemmas in urban ethnographies. Qualitative Inquiry, 2, 251-275.
8.
Fowers, B. J., & Richardson, F. C. (1996). Why is multiculturalism good? American Psychologist, 51, 609-621.
9.
Jensen, A. (1969). How much can we boost IQ and school achievement? Harvard Educational Review, 39, 1-123.
10.
Levy, J. E. (1975). César Chávez: Autobiography of la causa. New York: Norton.
11.
Munley, P. H., Anderson, M. Z., Baines, T. C., Borgman, A. L., Briggs, D., Dolan, J. P., Jr., et al. (2002). Personal dimensions of identity and empirical research in APA journals. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 8, 357-365.
12.
Reason, P. (1994). Three approaches to participative inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 324-339). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
13.
Riessman, F. (1962). The culturally deprived child. New York: Harper & Row.
14.
Rotter, J., & Casado, M. (1998). Promoting strengths and celebrating culture: Working with Hispanic families. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 6, 132-136.
15.
Sue, D. W., Arredondo, P., & McDavis, R. J. (1992). Multicultural counseling competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 477-483.
16.
Sue, D. W., Carter, R. T., Casas, J. M., Fouad, N. A., Ivey, A. E., Jensen, M., et al. (1998). Multicultural counseling competencies: Individual and organizational development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
17.
Vera, E. M., & Speight, S. L. (2003). Multicultural competence, social justice, and counseling psychology: Expanding our roles. The Counseling Psychologist, 31, 253-272
18.
Weinrach, S. G., & Thomas, K. R. (2002). A critical analysis of the multicultural counseling competencies: Implications for the practice of mental health counseling. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 24, 20-35.
