Chapter 3: Teaching Psychology in Latin America and Elsewhere: An International View of the Discipline

This chapter offers an overview of teaching psychology at selected universities located mostly in Brazil and Mexico, a topic that is also discussed in the forthcoming Volume 4 of the series Teaching Psychology around the World (McCarthy, Padilla, DeSouza, Hulme, Zeiwinski, & Charlton, in press). Refer to the other three volumes to see information about other regions along with a history of the International Council of Psychology Educators (ICOPE), an organization referred to in this book. ICOPE has directed attention, as we enter the globally-connected 21st century, to how important it is for instructors to understand the ways psychology is perceived, utilized and taught outside of their own countries. Local, global and ’glocal’ aspects of topics addressed during psychology courses vary by country and region, as do the culture(s), language(s) and perspectives of students and the people they will work with in their future careers spanning a multicultural, connected planet. Integrating this knowledge throughout coursework assists students in their efforts to improve quality of life for all through knowledge inherent in psychology, regardless of where they work or live.