Johanna Vollhardt

Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Clark University
Worcester, MA 01610-1477

Phone: 508.793.7278
Email: jvollhardt@clarku.edu

Professional Website
Curriculum Vitae

 

Johanna Ray Vollhardt received a Diplom (German equivalent to B.A. and M.A. combined) in Psychology from the University of Cologne in 2004. She received a Ph.D. in Social Psychology (with a concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence) from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in May 2009. She joined Clark University in September 2009.

Current Research and Teaching

Dr. Vollhardt’s research focuses on the psychological impact of group-based victimization on people’s social identity and on relations with members of other groups. She is interested in the underlying social psychological processes and conditions that give rise to constructive, rather than destructive outcomes of the experience of victimization. Her current research is concerned with inclusive and exclusive victim consciousness, acknowledgment, and other ways in which inclusive victim consciousness can be facilitated. Another area of research examines various aspects of the psychology of genocide. Dr. Vollhardt conducts research among ethnic, religious and national (minority) groups in the U.S., Europe, India, and East Africa. She also collaborates with the NGO Radio La Benevolencija in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In October 2010, she organized a conference on the Psychology of Genocide and its Aftermath at Clark University.

Dr. Vollhardt is currently teaching courses on experimental research methods and on the social psychology of intergroup relations and ethnic conflict.

Selected Publications:

(Please contact kwilber@clarku.edu for reprint inquiries)

Bilewicz, M., & Vollhardt, J. R. (in press). Evil transformations: Psychological processes  underlying genocide and mass killing. In A. Golec De Zavala & A. Cichocka (Eds.), Social psychology of social problems. The intergroup context. New York, NY:  Palgrave Macmillan.

Vollhardt, J.R. & Bilewicz, M. (Eds.). (forthcoming). The aftermath of genocide: psychological perspectives. Journal of Social Issues.

Bilali, R., & Vollhardt, J.R. (in press). Priming effects of a reconciliation radio drama on historical perspective taking in the aftermath of mass violence in Rwanda. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Vollhardt, J.R. (2012). Interpreting rights and duties after mass violence. Culture and Psychology, 18, 133-145.

Vollhardt, J. R. (2012). Collective victimization. In L. Tropp (Ed.), Oxford handbook of intergroup conflict (pp. 136 - 157). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Vollhardt, J. R. & Staub, E. (2011). Inclusive altruism born of suffering: The effects of past suffering on prosocial behavior toward outgroups. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81, 307-315.

Vollhardt, J. R. (2010). Enhanced external and culturally sensitive attributions after extended intercultural contact. British Journal of Social Psychology, 49, 363-383.

Vollhardt, J.R. (2009). Altruism born of suffering and prosocial behavior following adverse life events: A review and conceptual integration. Social Justice Research, 22, 53-97.

Vollhardt, J. R. (2009). The role of victim beliefs in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Risk or potential for peace? Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 15, 135-159.

Vollhardt, J., & Migacheva, K., & Tropp, L. (2008). Social cohesion and tolerance for group differences. In J. de Rivera (Ed.), Handbook on building cultures of peace (pp. 139-152). Berlin, New York: Springer.

Vollhardt, J. & Bilali, R. (2008). Social psychology’s contribution to the psychological study of peace: A review. Social Psychology, 39, 12-25.