SPSSI Conferences

2025 SPSSI Summer Conference Keynote Speakers

Opening Keynote
Dr. María Elena Torre
Friday, June 27, 2025

The Study of Social Issues in Perilous Times: Participatory Public Science as a lifeline in Our Collective Struggles for Justice

We face extraordinary times. While the dynamics of injustice that have fueled this moment are not new, the extreme concentration of wealth and power, the immensity of suffering at the hands of cruel and inhumane policy, the rise of authoritarianism and white nationalism and the concurrent destruction of the democratic promise of our nation is unfolding with unprecedented speed. Amidst the whiplash, we, as psychologists dedicated to the study of social issues, must rise up and respond. We must ask ourselves what is the role of social science in this moment? How do we understand our research? Our teaching? Our responsibility to act? These questions echo the very ones that led to SPSSI’s founding nearly 90 years ago – when psychologists within APA insisted on a separate organization of psychologists to address “more effectively” the major social, economic, and political issues of the day, and to contribute to the formation of social policies through research. This address will re-member this legacy, where it soared and where it faltered, and offer a call for participatory public science as lifeline for engaging a rigorous science to meet our times – one that builds with communities, works in solidarity with social movements, assumes intersectionality and entanglement, interrogates power and challenges structural oppression, and offers new collective visions for a more just world. 

Dr. Torre's Biography.

2025 Kurt Lewin Address
Dr. Abby Stewart
Saturday, June 28, 2025

Asking Questions the Times Demand

Social scientists, perhaps especially those in SPSSI,  have often asked research questions that were demanded by the times in which they lived. I will argue that current times require that we now ask certain new and recurrent research questions. I will discuss a few of the past studies of this kind: studies of authoritarianism, of post-traumatic stress in wartime, of the impact of desegregation on children’s self-image, of the impact of diversity in higher education –and in particular one of Kurt Lewin’s research programs. To illustrate how this happens in a career even without much conscious awareness, I will briefly point out  ways in which my own work has responded to the demands of particular moments in my lifetime.  Finally, I will sketch out some research questions that the present moment demands of social scientists, and invite the audience to suggest more.

Dr. Stewart's Biography.

2025 Presidential Address
Dr. Heather Bullock
Saturday, June 28, 2025

Social Justice Flamekeeping: Political Polarization, Peril, and Possibility

Political, social, and economic trends in the United States and globally are rife with warning signs for the future of democracy, humanity, and our planet. A toxic stew of political polarization, disinformation, distrust in government and institutions, economic inequality, racism, xenophobia, and nationalism is fueling attacks on democratic principles, civil rights, and science, undermining hard-won social justice gains and scientific advancements. In the United States, long considered a stable “full democracy,” there is growing recognition that rights and freedoms previously viewed as immutable have eroded (Economist Economic Unit, 2021). Social science research is crucial to understanding the current precarity of U.S. democracy and retrenchment on a wide range of social justice issues. There is also much to learn from the experiences of individuals and movements that have been targeted by and resisted authoritarian regimes. It is clear that in such times, social justice flamekeeping – vigorous pursuit of justice in its many forms – takes on even greater urgency.

In this presentation, I explore how stark political polarization, wide gaps in income and wealth, and their synergies undermine belief in democracy and support for progressive policies. Highlighting the consequences of these deep divisions, I discuss perils to scientific inquiry and obstacles to meaningful systemic change. Indeed, antipoverty policies that could reduce both economic inequality and political polarization are unlikely to gain traction in highly partisan environments. I illustrate how social justice flamekeeping can sustain momentum and open new possibilities, offering examples from my work as a community-engaged researcher and from the social sciences, more broadly.

Dr. Bullock's Biography.

Closing Keynote
Dr. Brian Smedley
Sunday, June 29, 2025

Out of Chaos, Opportunity:  Reflections on Psychology’s Past, Present, and Potential as a Force for Social Change

Psychology has long grappled with its dual identity as both a scientific discipline and a tool for societal transformation. Historically, the field has mirrored the biases of the broader society, often marginalizing voices of color and reinforcing systemic inequities. Yet, from the early advocacy of psychologists like Mamie Phipps Clark and Kenneth Clark in the desegregation era to the emergence of community psychology and liberation psychology, the discipline has also served as a powerful catalyst for justice. Many of these advancements are threatened today.  How can psychology address the resurgence of overt expressions of bigotry and hate, and their influence on public policy?  This talk will reflect on some of the lessons from the discipline’s past and present to consider new paths forward, with a focus on research and policy efforts to advance health equity.  Looking ahead, psychology’s future as a force for social justice depends on its ability to transform its institutions, methodologies, and training paradigms. This includes centering marginalized communities in research, amplifying diverse voices in leadership, and embedding social justice into the core of psychological education and practice. By aligning its scientific rigor with a moral imperative, psychology can not only understand the human condition but also help reshape it toward a more just and equitable society.

Dr. Smedley's Biography.