The psychological study of race, diversity, and culture: Foundational contributions of James M. Jones to modern theories of racism.

Abstract

The field of psychology has a history of harming racialized communities through the endorsement of scientific racism and the systematic silencing and erasure of dissenting voices. The field has a moral imperative to work collectively to create a future where the experiences, perspectives, and contributions of Black people are included and celebrated. Here, we contribute to centering Black voices by highlighting the scholarship of Professor James M. Jones, whose work on racial issues and diversity has had a profound impact. Our aim was twofold: (a) critically review foundational pieces of Jones' work and identify core themes and (b) discuss the impact of Jones' work on science and society, including areas for future research. Using various keyword strategies and in consultation with Professor Jones, we conducted exploratory and confirmatory searches using APA PsycInfo, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. We curated 21 pieces for review and identified six core themes: (a) racism as a universal context, (b) culture and context matter in situating historical and temporal narratives, (c) methodological limitations of psychological examinations of race, (d) doing diversity, (e) accepting divergent social realities, and (f) coping with oppression. Jones' systems-level analysis of racism provides a strong theoretical and analytical framework for the study of racial issues. Jones' impact and legacy extend far beyond the academe: as director of the Minority Fellowship Program and executive director of public interest at American Psychological Association, he has influenced generations of psychologists and paved a pathway for psychological science methods in social policy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).