Ethno-psychology pertains to the socio-cultural relativity of the theoretical depiction, definition, interpretation, evaluation and understanding of mental and psychological phenomena. This approach questions the universalistic claims of classical psychology and criticizes its proclivity to universal generalizations. Ethno-psychology is based upon the assumption that every culture has its philosophy of human nature and the relationship between body and soul, the mental and the physical, thoughts and emotions, and self and other. Through a historical account of the development of Psychology and Ethno-psychology, the premises and principles of the Ethno-psychological approach will be elaborated in this course. This will be done while presenting major research works on emotions, cognition, identity and personality in various cultures throughout the word. Some methodological tools for the empirical study of native Ethno-psychologies will also be presented in this course, and the students will be trained to carry out Ethno-psychological field research in their own society and culture
