International Society for Theoretical Psychology

The International Society for Theoretical Psychology (ISTP) is an international forum for theoretical, meta-theoretical and philosophical discussions in psychology, with a focus on contemporary psychological debates. Founded in the early 1980s, its objective is to stimulate theoretical arguments and innovations, to foster integration across areas and traditions of research, and to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to psychological questions. It aims to serve as the stage for the discussion of new theoretical ideas and conceptual frameworks, for the critical engagement of different theoretical approaches, and for discussions concerning the relation of theoretical psychology to other disciplines, to the history of psychology and to the philosophy of knowledge. 

Upcoming Conference 2026

For more than 40 years, the biennial conferences are the heart of ISTP. They are not just a forum for individual presentations of current research, but rather an intensive, week-long experience of listening to each other, debating, collaborating, making new friends, and thinking things further together.

Location

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, USA | June 8–12, 2026

Chair: Martin Dege

Program Committee: Michael Bamberg (Clark University), Dan Boscov-Ellen (Pratt Institute), Nandita Chaudhary (Federal University of Bahia), Carolin Demuth (Aalborg University), Yasuhiro Igarashi (Yamano College of Aesthetics), Luka Luçić (Pratt Institute), Desmond Painter (Stellenbosch University), Ernst Schraube (Roskilde University), Paul Stenner (Open University), Luca Tateo (University of Oslo), Thomas Teo (York University), ‪Tania Zittoun‬ (University of Neuchâtel)

Theme

Theorizing in Dark Times – Art, Narrative, Politics

At the heart of the conference lies the question: What is the role of theory in dark times? Theoretical psychology has long sought to understand the human condition, yet in moments of global crisis, theory itself becomes a site of political resistance. The conference will examine how theory functions as a political force, shaping narratives of power, ideology, and agency. It will address the political implications of psychological theory, asking how psychological concepts, often regarded as neutral or apolitical, become entangled with broader social and political dynamics.

Keynote Speakers:

Roger Frie

Alexandra Rutherford

Robert Beshara

Pita King

Submission

Deadline for submitting a contribution is October 1, 2025

Submit early if you need an early response (for visa, flight, or other reasons).

Our Journals

The publication and discussion of psychological theory is a central mission of ISTP. The Society is directly involved in two journals. Theory & Psychology, published by SAGE, is one of the leading journals for theory in psychology. More recently, ISTP has launched the International Review of Theoretical Psychologies as an open access platform to help publish the work presented at its conferences.

Recent Topics

Something about recent topics

Future issue

Something about future issues

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“Be part of an intellectual research community that takes the problems of our time seriously.”

Ernst Schraube

Past President, ISTP

Past Conferences


Belgrade, Serbia | May 2024

Chairs: Tania Zittoun, Biljana Stanković, & Tijana Nikitović

Theory as Engagement


Keynote Speakers:

Alex Gillespie, London School of Economics, UK

– Sanne Akkerman, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

– Rastko Močnik, University of Ljubljana, Serbia

– Thomas Teo, York University, Toronto, Canada 

Sacramento, USA | May 2022

Chair: Basia Ellis

Building Community: Theoretical Psychology in the Service of Social Issues


Keynote Speakers:

Regina Langhout, University of California Santa Cruz, USA

Peter Pál Pelbart, Pontifical Catholic University in São Paulo, Brazil

Puleng Segalo, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

Alexander Sidorkin, California State University, Sacramento, USA

Copenhagen, Denmark | August 2019

Chair: Ditte Winther-Lindqvist

Measured Lives: Theoretical Psychology in an Era of Acceleration


Keynote Speakers:

Hartmut Rosa, University of Jena, Germany

Dorte Marie Søndergaard, Aarhus University, Denmark

Uffe Juul Jensen, Aarhus University, Denmark

Pablo Oyarzún Robles, University of Chile, Chile

Anne Phoenix, University College London, UK

Statement from the President

Activities

ISTP Seminar Series: Theorizing About Objects in Psychology, September 30, 2024, 4:00-6:00 pm, CST time

The ISTP Virtual Seminar Series Spaces for Theoretical Explorations will start in September 2024 with a focus on theorizing about objects in psychology. The first seminar is organized in collaboration with the Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (APA Division 24).

Chairs: Floor van Alphen, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain & Marie-Cécile Bertau, University of West Georgia, USA.

Summer School: Reparation, Inclusion, and Emotions, January 3–4, 2024

In collaboration with ISTP, the Doctoral Program in Psychology at the University Alberto Hurtado in Chile, is organizing this Summer School for doctoral students and researchers.

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