Kathleen A. Barry, Ph.D.
The Depth Psychology Department congratulates Dr. Kathleen Barry for her dissertation titled:
"Developing A Critical Consciousness of Authority While Following the Call of Vocation: A Study of Lessons Learned from the Women of the Immaculate Heart Community"
THE ABSTRACT OF KATHLEEN'S DISSERTATION
How do eight former Catholic nuns who are members of a traditional canonical religious community for women and who work within the patriarchal/ecclesiastical structures of the Catholic Church develop a critical consciousness of authority while pursuing the call of vocation to religious life? This study examines four facets of this question: First, this study focuses on patriarchy and genderism as we enter the second decade of the 21st century. Second, it focuses on some of the ways women develop a strong sense of self and agency given the realities of patriarchal tenets and traditional structures of authority. Third, it is interested in learning how women receive and construct knowledge. Fourth, it looks with a discerning eye to retrieve and preserve critical moments of history when women successfully resisted gender oppression and injustice.
This study, which takes advantage of the traditions and methodologies provided within the evolving frameworks of depth and liberation psychology, including a feminist orientation towards research, is divided into two phases: conducting eight individual interviews to gather the participants’ oral histories and a modified critical hermeneutical participatory group that brought together participants and members of a Witness Council in a four hour dialogical format.
This study answers its primary research questions by providing insight into the internal and external factors that inspired eight former Catholic nuns to challenge the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, to choose to surrender their canonical status within the Church, and to form a lay ecumenical community for Catholic-Christian women and men. The participants’ negotiation of these historical encounters required shifts in their attitudes and beliefs about women’s authority within patriarchal, hierarchical, and ecclesiastical systems.
Following the results, the author applies theoretical constructs to the research findings. From depth-liberation psychology, the author interprets the results through Freirian theories of conscientization and the ontological call of humanization. Through the lens of psychoanalytical social theory, the author places the models of Julia Kristeva and Kelly Oliver in dialogue with the participants’ experiences.
FROM DR. CRAIG CHALQUIST (Kathleen's Dissertation Coordinator):
"Kathleen's scholarly work is one of the finest examples I know of bringing forward the relevance of depth psychology ideas to effect what she calls the 'decolonization' of marginalized experience: in the case of her research, that of women who serve within religious institutions dominated by self-sanctioning masculine authority. Dr. Barry extends the depth tradition of listening in at the margins of culture and consciousness to voices of psyche and society that require a hearing, not only because they deserve one, but because society's regeneration--which includes liberation from rampant authoritarianism--depends upon what they contribute."
FROM DR. MARY WATKINS (Kathleen's Dissertation Advisor):
Undertaking courageous steps, assuming personal risks for the “greater good,” discerning which
authority to follow in the course of particular moments in one’s life, the role of community in
supporting resistance to pernicious authority, and the formation of creative and generative community
outside of sanctioned authorities are the very topics of Kathleen Barry’s work. The work we celebrate
today.
There are several aspects of Kathleen and her work I want to hold up for appreciation
Courage: The first is for the courageous turn her scholarship took as she answered the call to study
women’s resistance to limiting patriarchal forms. When she arrived at the Depth Program, I do not think
she fully imagined the odyssey that was up ahead, and when it presented itself, she courageously
turned into the storm.
Scholarship: This required her supplementing the curriculum in the program with her own extensive scholarship on a number of fronts, including feminist theory and psychoanalytic social theory.
Devotion: Kathleen chose oral history as a principal methodology, giving generously the time this requires to carefully honor participants’ words and lives. This is not a quick or easy way to do a dissertation.
Care and Collaboration: Instead of seizing her interviews and determining by herself the meanings of others’ lives, Kathleen respectful and lovingly carefully tacked back and forth between her own understands and conversations with the women who had gifted their stories to her.
And, lastly, humility and flexibility of conceptualization: Kathleen had the courage to admit that the idea through which she formulated her research was inadequate to the experiences of the women she learned from. After painstakingly working with the interviews, she was able to let go of her original idea and instead show fidelity to the experiences of her participants.
This lucid work invites us to turn back to and to pause at a moment of history which could inspire each of us to look more closely at our relations to authority, and at the ever present possibility of creating anew the kinds of communities we most long for.
FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH KATHLEEN:
How did you come to your dissertation topic?
The empowerment of women and the transformation of patriarchal systems of authority have been primary interests of mine for as long as I can remember. During my Pacifica studies, I was influenced by the provocative works of Jean Baker Miller (being-in-relationship versus autonomous subjectivity); Mary Belenky (women’s ways of knowing and the creation of safe dialogical spaces); Augusto Boal (cops-in-the head); Paulo Freire (critical consciousness and following the call of human vocation); Julia Kristeva (intimate revolt within intrapsychic space); and Kelly Oliver (the colonization of intra-inter psychic spaces and the location of social space). The intertwinement of these theorists’ varied perspectives provided the stepping stones to a fascinating study of 8 former Catholic nuns who challenged and engaged multi-levels of hierarchical authority within the Catholic Church.
What was the dissertation process like for you?
It took me much longer than I anticipated to clarify the focus of my study, to read the literature, and write the proposal. That process took close to 2 ½ years! However, I am still amazed at how quickly the process moved ahead once my proposal was approved. In a little over 9 months, I conducted the two part study, analyzed the data, created the thematic analyses, reached my conclusions, and submitted the final 3 chapters. Within a very short period of time, my committee approved the final chapters and my defense date was scheduled. I am still struck by both the length of time it took to develop my study and the quickness of reaching completion.
What was the most rewarding part of researching and writing your dissertation?
I think it was particularly rewarding to have the time to go more deeply into the theorists and materials that I enjoyed during our coursework. I also thoroughly enjoyed working with each member of my committee and found them to be extremely supportive of my work.
What surprised you most about the process?
My personal life unfolded right alongside the discoveries that were uncovered in the writing of my dissertation. As I wrote about the role of community in women’s lives, I began to build community. While learning about the participants’ historical engagement of the Catholic Church’s hierarchical authority structures, the Vatican began a new investigation of women religious in early 2009. There was tremendous synchronicity in each step of my writing and the unfolding of events in my personal life, as well as in the external world.
Pictures from Kathleen's Defense
