Domestic Violence and Psychology

Paula Nicolson is Professor of Critical Social Health Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London and is also a trainee at the Tavistock in psychodynamic organisational consultancy.

• Introduction. Part 1. The Context. 1. Domestic Violence: The Material Context. 2. What is Domestic Abuse. 3. Psychology, Feminism, and Ideology: Where Do We Go From Here. Part 2. Discursive Constructions of Domestic Violence and Abuse. 4. The Social Construction of Domestic Abuse: Myths, Legends and Formula Stories. 5. Public Perceptions and Moral Tales. Part 3. (Re)turning to Intra-psychic Psychology. 6. Lived Experience and the 'Material-Discursive-Intra-Psychic' Self. 7. Domestic Abuse Across Generations: Intra-psychic Dimensions. 8. 'Doing' Domestic Violence: Dilemmas of Care and Blame. References.

"Nicholson presents a thorough, thoughtful review of the history and current state of the conflicted field of intimate partner violence (IPV) research and advocacy. ... Nicholson takes on an important, complex topic and one that obviously spans diverse viewpoints and methodologies. ... This book is likely to interest readers involved in social work, women's studies, sociology, public policy and activism, and perhaps even mainstream psychologists interested in what may be a different perspective from their own." - Jody M. Ross, Ph.D., Indiana-Purdue University, USA, in Sex Roles"Going beyond either/or positions, Paula Nicolson shows how the problem of domestic violence is as deeply personal as it is political. Her book revisions the landscape of scholarship through this dual lens, combining psychodynamic and feminist perspectives to produce a highly nuanced account of patterns of intimate partner violence.　 It is both a courageous and inspired book." – Janice Haaken, Portland State University, USA