Neal S. Rubin, Ph.D., ABPP, an Adler Chicago clinical psychology faculty member, has quite a year ahead of himself as he has been awarded to give an invited lecture at this year’s American Psychological Association Convention. This honor follows Dr. Rubin’s extensive contributions to international psychology and his editing of the book, The Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Human Rights.

Nominated by his publisher, Cambridge University Press, Dr. Rubin and his co-author, Dr. Roseanne Flores, have been awarded the Ursula Gielen Global Psychology Book Award. This award is given annually in the APA’s Division of International Psychology (52). Drs. Rubin and Flores have also been named a PROSE Award finalist, a prestigious award given by the Association of American Publishers. The Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Human Rights is a collection of research from over 100 authors from around the world, aimed at the intersection of psychology and human rights.

Dr. Rubin notes that it is important to integrate the science of psychology with our approach to human rights, citing the recent immigration policies at the United States’ southern border. By approaching human rights abuses through a psychological lens, he states we will gain a better perspective of how the health and mental health of the children will be affected long term from human rights abuses. Attachment and trauma can have profound effects on health and psychological development, says Dr. Rubin. “Psychologists have a lot to learn about human rights and the human rights movement can benefit from the involvement of psychological science and psychological intervention models to forward human rights today.”

Dr. Rubin began working on the handbook in 2016 to bring human rights to the forefront of psychology – which he often does in his teachings at Adler.

“Our aim was to create a seminal book in a new field of psychology – and this book is that” says Dr. Rubin.

With the Ursula Gielen Global Psychology Book Award, Drs. Rubin and Flores were awarded a monetary prize, which they are using to create the “Rubin-Flores Student Research Award in Psychology and Human Rights.” They hope this scholarship will be an investment to the future generation of psychology and human rights research scholars.

In addition to the global recognition garnered by his handbook, Dr. Rubin will also be giving the annual Lynn Stuart Weiss Memorial Lecture at the APA Convention this August. This lecture is given in memory of Lynn Weiss, a doctoral student who passed away attending Columbia University with interests centered on law, politics, world affairs, and peace. Dr. Rubin was nominated by the APA Division 52 of International Psychology, in which he previously served as president.

Similar to his handbook, Dr. Rubin hopes his lecture will speak on the integration of psychology and human rights. He adds that scientific responsibility will be the “heart” of his lecture, noting that with the freedom to explore psychological science, we also have a responsibility to apply it to the promotion of human rights. In this way, he will add his perspective as chair of the Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Rubin has a deep understanding of Adler University’s social justice mission and has a proven record of advocating for vulnerable populations through a psychological lens. Adler University is proud to have faculty, like Dr. Rubin, who continue to live out our mission and expand psychology research.