Existential injustice in phenomenological psychopathology

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21592004
AutoresDaniel Vespermann (University Hospital Heidelberg, autor de correspondencia), Sanna Karoliina Tirkkonen (0000-0003-4114-939X, Practical Philosophy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland)
Año2025
Volumen38
Número1
Páginas209-245
Fecha de publicación2025-01-02
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaPhilosophical Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0951-5089 • E-ISSN: 1465-394X
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09515089.2024.2400998
OpenAlexW4402985040
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas90

In this article, we investigate how distressing background feelings can be subject to social injustice. We define background feelings as enduring feeling states that condition our perceptions of everyday situations, interpersonal dynamics, and the broader social milieu. While phenomenological psychopathology has long addressed such affective phenomena, including anxiety, guilt, and feelings of not belonging, the intersection with social injustice remains largely unexplored within the framework. To address this gap, we introduce the concept of existential injustice into phenomenological psychopathology. Existential injustice pertains to the unjust formation, perpetuation, and treatment of background feelings. We contend that distressing alterations in these feeling states can stem from, or be perpetuated by, unjust social structures and practices. Existential injustice manifests as a felt inadequacy of one’s background feelings, reflecting broader societal disparities and inequities. Drawing on themes from social psychiatry, we illustrate the utility and explanatory power of the concept through two concrete examples. By shedding light on the ways in which societal dynamics shape distressing affective experiences our analysis underscores the importance of integrating aspects of social injustice into the study of affective phenomena in phenomenological psychopathology

Epistemology · Existentialism · Injustice · Psychoanalysis · Psychopathology · Clinical Psychology · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Philosophy · Psychology · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications · Social Psychology