The turn to culture

World events since 11 September 2001 have brought the need for understanding of cultural difference to the fore. Psychologists have a major part to play addressing issues such as identity, belongingness and culture in the light of globalisation, mass migration and mass communication. Interest within psychology in ‘culture’ is both a newly emerging area of psychology, known as cultural psychology, and a long-established tradition, known as cross-cultural psychology. In this article we will outline ways in which culture has been theorised in psychology, and examine the tensions and dialogues between different approaches to studying psychology in a culturally sensitive way.