Humanistic Psychology at the Polytechnic of North London and the SW London College in the 1970s

Abstract

SYNOPSISThe following account offers a history of the use and development of Humanistic Psychology at the Polytechnic of North London and also at South-West London College in the 1970s—with some thoughts about the present. My purpose is to show how, in these courses, we tried to combine two things: the principles of self-awareness and self-determination that would seem to be basic to Humanistic Psychology; with a developed structure within which self-aware and self-determining individuals would relate to other aware individuals. The purpose of this was that within such a structure, a co-operative organisation—i.e. the courses—could be developed and experienced. I think we succeeded in doing this. And I think that our project has relevance to our current social and political and economic difficulties. At the end, I try to say something about this also.