Positive Nations and Communities: Collective, Qualitative and Cultural-Sensitive Processes in Positive Psychology

This book approaches the field of positive psychology from a post-modern perspective. It explores the consequences of combining current trends and models with supplementary participatory and transformative methods. The book brings a more collective, qualitative, culturally sensitive and transformative approach to the processes of making sense and implementing the science of positive psychology. It moves beyond the individual level towards a “knowledge community” and “knowledge of the communities”. The book is an invitation to more participatory and polyphonic dialogues in the field of positive psychology.

About the Author

Helena Águeda Marujo is professor of Management of Human Resources at Technical Lisbon University in Portugal. Her research interests ate in Positive Community Psychology, in particular how to bring positive psychology to impoverish and marginalized populations, studying processes such as post-traumatic growth, happiness, optimism and hope as mediators for the struggle for better lives. Social justice, relational goods and rhizome relations are some of the concepts underlying her argument for new methods and approaches in research. Together with Dr. Luis Neto she coined the term Transformative Appreciative Research that integrates those perspectives. She is currently an invited professor at Valladolid University in Spain, and was a visiting professor and invited Luis Miguel Neto is professor at Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal. He taught for 29 years at Faculdade de Psicologia/Psychology School of Lisbon University, where he coordinates for ten years a Open Community Service of Family Therapy. He has a EdD in family Therapy from University of Massachusetts, USA and a Master from Seville University in Spain. He is an invited teacher at Valladolid University where he gives classes on a post-graduated course on Positive Psychology and development of Sense of Humour.