Zachary Beckstead

ACADEMIC DEGREES

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Grand Valley State University, 2013 – 2016
Visiting Assistant Professor - Psychology

St. Gregory’s University 2012 – 2013
Assistant Professor - Psychology
               
Clark University 2011 – 2012
Lecturer - Psychology

Merrimack College 2008
Adjunct Lecturer - Psychology

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Psychology 111: General Psychology
Psychology 210: Developmental Psychology
Psychology 305: Social Science Research Methods (Quantitative)
Psychology 307: Qualitative Research Methods
Psychology 357: Cultural Psychology
Psychology 396: History and Philosophy of Psychology
Psychology 496: Mentored Research

Grand Valley State University
Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology
Psychology 301: Child Development

St. Gregory’s University
Introduction to Psychology
Cultural Anthropology
Traditions and Conversations-Great Works Series
Lab in Cultural Psychology
Social Psychology
Modern Social Problems
Introduction to Sociology

PUBLICATIONS

ARTICLES AND BOOK CHAPTERS

Beckstead, Z. & Jordan, G. (2023). Politics in transitional spaces: Direct and indirect political
participation. Integrative Psychology and Behavioral Sciences 57(4), 1-13. DOI:10.1007/s12124-023-09755-2

Beckstead, Z. (2021). Catalysis in cultural psychology: Its past and future. In B. Wagoner, B.A.
Christiansen, and C. Demuth (Eds), Cultural as Process: A Tribute to Jaan Valsiner. New York: Springer.

Beckstead, Z. (2021). On the way: Pilgrimage and liminal experiences. In B. Wagoner and T.
Zittoun, Theorising Liminality (Eds). New York: Springer.

Slife, B. & Beckstead, Z. (2021). Healing in times of crisis: Instrumental versus meaningful
relationships. In M. Dege and I. Strasser (Eds), Global Pandemics and Epistemic Crises in Psychology: A Socio-Philosophical Approach. London, UK: Routledge.

Beckstead, Z. (2018). Strangers in Foreign Lands: Entering the mission field. In Schilewe,
G. Marisco & N. Chaudhary (Eds.), Cultural Psychology of Intervention in the Globalized World (pp. 245-264). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2017). Ruins and memorials: imagining the past through material forms. In B.
Wagoner, I. Bresco and S. Awad (Eds), The Psychology of Imagination: History, Theory and New Research Horizons (pp. 123-136). Volume 3 of Niels Bohr Professorship Lectures Series., NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2017). “Freedom is not free”: Slogans becoming affective in memorial landscapes. In C. Conejo, G. Marisco, & J. Valsiner (Eds.), I Activate You to Affect Me (97-124). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2016). Approaching the ineffable: Synthesizing discursive and non-discursive approaches in the study of religion. Culture & Psychology, 22(1), 35-43.

Beckstead, Z. (2015). Cultural objects in a transforming world. Culture & Psychology, 21(3), 380-391.

Beckstead, Z. (2015). Marking the past for the future: Roadside shrines and recursivity. In, Z. Beckstead (Ed.), Cultural Psychology of Recursivity (pp. 219-239). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2015). Introduction: Entering the recursive realm. In, Z. Beckstead (Ed.), Cultural
Psychology of Recursivity (pp. xi-xxxi). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2015). Conclusion: The end is the beginning: Elaborating the social aspects of recursivity in the social sciences. In, Z. Beckstead (Ed.), Cultural Psychology of Recursivity (pp. 241-243). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2015). Muzafer Sherif’s perspective on and contributions to contemporary social psychology. In A. Dost & D. Sonmez (Eds.), Norms, Group, Conflict, and Social Change: Rediscovering Muzafer Sherif’s  Psychology (251- 275). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2014). The dramas of meaning construction. In Y. Omi, M.Peralta-Gòmez, L. Rodriquez-Burgos & J. Valsiner (Eds.), Lives and Relationships: Culture in Transition Between Social Roles (321 – 360). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. ( 2012). Crossing thresholds: Movement as a means of transformation. In J. Valsiner (Ed), The Oxford Handbook of Culture and Psychology (pp. 710-729). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

 Beckstead, Z. ( 2012). Value internalization on the move: The Revivification of Faith Along the Pilgrims' Path. In A. Branco & J. Valsiner (Eds), Cultural Psychology of Human Values. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Publications.

Beckstead, Z., Twose, G., Levesque-Gottlieb, E., and Rizzo, J. (2011). Collective remembering through the materiality and organization of war memorials. Journal of Material Culture, 16, 193-213.

Hviid, P., & Beckstead, Z. (2011). Dialogues about research. In M. Märtsin, B. Wagoner,E.
Aveling, I. Kadianaki, & L. Whittaker (Eds.), Dialogicality in focus: Challenges to theory, method and application (147 – 162). New York: Nova Publishers.

Beckstead, Z. (2010). Liminality in acculturation and pilgrimage: When movement becomes meaningful. Culture & Psychology, 16, 383-393.

Beckstead, Z., Cabell, K., and Valsiner, J. (2009). Generalizing through conditional analysis: Systemic causality in the world of eternal becoming. Humana Mente: Journal of Philosophical Studies, 11, 65-80.

Beckstead, Z., (2009). Shifting loyalties: Reconsidering psychology’s subject matter. Integrative
Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, 43, 221-227.

Reber, J., & Beckstead, Z. (2008). Anti-Reductionism in contemporary psychological research.
Observations of Human Systems. In J. Clegg (Ed.) The Observation of Human Systems: Lessons
from the History of Anti-Reductionistic Empirical Psychology (141 – 165). New Brunswik, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

MANUSCRIPTS UNDER REVIEW

Beckstead, Z. & Jordan, G. Politics in the transitional space of streets: Direct and indirect political
participation. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Sciences.
 

MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION

Beckstead, Z., & Calma, B. Do you believe in magic? Exploring the cultural boundaries of magical
thinking.

Beckstead, Z., & Lee Chip Sao, H. Returning home: Adjustment and identity among American
Veterans.

BOOKS

Beckstead, Z. (Ed.). (2015). Cultural Psychology of Recursive Processes. Charlotte, NC:
Information Age Publishers.

Books in progress (proposal accepted)

Beckstead, Z. Embodying Exploration: Meaning Construction at Contact. London, UK:
Routledge.

PRESENTATIONS

Beckstead, Z. (2024, May 25). Semiotic cultural psychology of liminal experiences. [Remote Keynote
Presentation]. Japanese Association of Trajectory Equifinality Approach for Qualitative Inquiry Annual Conference, Osaka, Japan.

Jordan, G. & Beckstead, Z. (2023, March 31 – April 3). Answers from beyond: Cultural practices for
predicting the future. [Presentation] Asian Conference of Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences (ACP), Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2023, November 6). Back to the future: Memorials as transitional Places
[Presentation].Fifth Meeting of the Longitudinal Study on Evacuees from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident. Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2023, December 12). Memorials as transitional places: The Potential of the liminality
concept [Presentation]. Ritsumeikan Monodzukuri Quality Research Center. Osaka, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2022, November). Between freedom and constraint: Cultural frames, scripts, and
scaffolding along the pilgrimage path. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Symposium of Pilgrimage Studies, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Beckstead, Z. (2022, June). Collective remembering and material forms: The David O. McKay
Mosaic and the malleability of memory. Presentation given at the annual meeting of the Mormon Historical Association (MHA), Logan, Utah.

Beckstead, Z., Calma, B., Augulis, A., & Galindo, J. (2021, May). Do you believe in magic?
Exploring the cultural boundaries of magical thinking. Presentation given at the annual meeting of The Asian Conference on the Social Sciences (ACSS), Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. & Brown, A. (2020, April). Icons, images, and experience: Meaning-making in the
realm of religious imagery. Presentation accepted at the Asian Conference of Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences (APBS), Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2019, November). Pilgrimage from a cultural psychological perspective. Paper
presented at the annual meeting of the Symposium of Pilgrimage Studies, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Beckstead, Z. (2019, August). Lost in transition: When the familiar becomes strange. Invited paper
presented at the annual Niels Bohr Lectures, Alborg, Denmark.

Beckstead, Z. (2019, August). On the way: Cultural psychology of pilgrimage. Presentation at
the Annals of Innovation Summer School, Alborg, Denmark.

Aurich, S., White, S., Mui, H.N., Cheng, L. Beard, N., Hutchinson, M., and Beckstead, Z. (April,
2019). The Modern veteran: The link between reintegration and social media. Poster presented at Brigham Young University-Hawaii Undergraduate Research Conference, Laie, Hawaii.

Pearson, M., Coles, Hutchinson, M., Filimaua, and Beckstead, Z. (April, 2019). Constructing
identity: Conflicting messages in regards to cultural tattooing. Poster presented at Brigham Young University-Hawaii Undergraduate Research Conference, Laie, Hawaii.

Beckstead, Z., & Sutton, V. (2019, March). Victimhood and guilt: Constructing
meaning and war at peace memorials. Poster presented at the annual meeting of The Asian Conference on Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead. Z. (2018, September). Culture, identity and self in a globalized world. Paper presented at
the annual meeting of The New Zealand Psychological Society, Auckland, New Zealand.

Beckstead, Z., Lee Chip Sao, H., Ng, W.Y., & Trussel, K. (2018, March). Returning home:
Adjustment and identity among American Veterans. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The Asian Conference on Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, Kobe, Japan.

Beckstead, Z., Sutton, O. & Rogers, J. (2018, March). My nation attacked this place: Constructing
feeling and meaning at Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of The Asian Conference on Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, Kobe, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2017, August). Constructing and performing identities in ritualized contexts. Paper
presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Theoretical Psychology Conference, Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2017, August). Becoming vulnerable: sense-making and sense-distancing through our
skin. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Theoretical Psychology Conference, Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2015, February). Imagination and experience in research practice. Paper presented at
the annual Niels Bohr Lectures, Alborg, Denmark.

Beckstead, Z. (2013, February). Tension in human movement: Elaborating Ernst Boesch’s
Heimweh/Fernweh. Poster presented at the annual Society of Theoretical & Philosophical Psychology (APA Division 24) Midwinter Conference, Austin, TX.

Beckstead, Z. (2011, April). Multiple dialogues in the meaning construction process. Paper
presented at the 1^st Biennial Conference of Developing Psychology in a Globalizing World, Clark University, Worcester, MA.

Beckstead, Z. (2010, October). Sensuous contours of the nation. Paper and poster presented at the
International Seminar Understanding History and the Construction of Identities in a Global World:  De-Nationalizing History Teaching, Autònoma Universidad, Madrid, Spain.

Beckstead, Z. (2010, August). Diversity: Its discontents and possibilities. Symposium Discussant at
the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Diego, CA.

Beckstead, Z. & Twose, G. (2010, August). Conflicted remembering: Veterans’ make sense of war
memorials. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Diego, CA

Beckstead, Z. (2009, July). The built-up environment as a cultural-semiotic mediator. Paper
presented at Waseda University. Tokyo, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2009, July). Semiotic mediation of affective regulation. Paper presented at
Ritsumeikan University. Kyoto, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2009, June). Landscape, movement and affective fields. Poster Presentation
Ritsumeikan University Qualitative Workshop, Kyoto, Japan.

Beckstead, Z. (2009, May). Symbolic journeys and the formation of affective fields. Paper
presented at Clark University Research Festival. Worcester, MA.

Beckstead, Z. (2008, August). The Dialogical Self of the Researcher-as-Person-- who enters into a
dialogue—with the Dialogical Self of the Research-Participant-as-Person. Paper presented at the 5^th International Conference on Dialogical Self, within the symposium, Dialogical selves in developmental research practice (Pernille Hviid, convener) -- Queens College, Cambridge, UK.

Beckstead, Z. (2008, August). The Final passage: A cultural psychological analysis of living and
dying. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Psychological Association. Boston, MA.

Beckstead, Z. (2008, May). Death as pilgrimage from a cultural psychological perspective. Poster
presented at Clark University Research Festival. Worcester, MA.

Beckstead, Z., (2007, August). Assessing critical thinking about teaching philosophies: A
research study. Symposium Discussant at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Francisco, CA.

Beckstead, Z., (2007, April). Identity, Pride, and Belonging: Negotiating hybrid-identities in Puerto
Rican-Americans. Presentation given at University of West Georgia’s 9th Annual
Student Psychology Annual Research Conference (SPARC).

Beckstead, Z., (2006, April). The lost language of ethics: Re-envisioning epistemology in light
of ethics. Presentation given at University of West Georgia’s 8th Annual Student Psychology Annual Research Conference (SPARC).

Slade, K., Archer, A., Erickson, D., Beckstead, Z., Swift, J., & Despain, A., (2004).
Enhancing Outcome Questionnaire Feedback Using Clinical Support Tools: Exploration of the Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire. Panel Presentation as part of symposium titled Using Clinical Support/Decision Tools to Enhance Outcome in Treatment Nonresponders, moderated by Lambert, M. Presented at the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research Conference, Springdale, Utah.

SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES

Dissertation Committee Member Served as a member of dissertation committee for Jensine Nedergaard, Skin as a communicative boundary (defended November 2018), Aalborg University (Denmark); assisted in feedback for dissertation; read and provided feedback and met with dissertation committee to make ultimate decision about acceptance of dissertation

Ad Hoc Reviewer Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Culture & Psychology, Human Arenas, and Journal of Material Culture

AWARDS AND HONORS

2024, Visiting Professors at Ritsumeikan University (Osaka, Japan)

2020, Dean’s Award for Scholarly and Citizenship Contributions to Psychology Program (Brigham Young University – Hawaii) Awarded $1,000 as a result of contributions to scholarship, mentoring student research, and leading program review

2010, Visiting Scholar at Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto, Japan)

2009, Ars Vivendi Visiting Scholar (Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto)

2009, NSF East Asia Grant Awarded $6000 to conduct research in Japan on holistic organization of shrines and temples and personal experiences of visiting shrines and temples

2009 Japanese Society for Promoting Science (JSPS) Awarded $5000 to conduct research at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan

2008-Current Travel Awards Frances Hiatt Travel Fund, Clark University

• 2010 – Awarded $500 to present at APA annual conference
• 2009 – Awarded $500 to present at APA annual conference
• 2008 – Awarded $500 to present at Dialogical Self annual conference

2007, Travel Awards University of West Georgia, Office of Vice President
Awarded $250 to present at APA annual conference

2006, Travel Awards University of West Georgia, Office of Vice President
Awarded $250 to present at APA annual conference

2007-2008, Frances L. Hiatt Research Stipends, Clark University 
Awarded $2,000 in 2007, and 2008 to conduct independent research and manuscript preparation.

GOVERNANCE AND CITIZENSHIP

Psychology Program Lead (equivalent of Department Chair), Brigham Young University – Hawaii, Fall 2022 – Present

Faculty advisor for Psychology Student Association, Brigham Young University – Hawaii, Fall 2020 – Present

Internship Coordinator, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Fall 2019 – Fall 2021

Co-organizer for the Psychology of Global Crises: State Surveillance, Solidarity, and Everyday Life virtual conference hosted by the American University of Paris, 2020

IRB Committee Member, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Fall 2016 – Present
Psychology Student Association Advisor, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Fall 2019 – Present

Psychology Scholarship Committee Member, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Fall 2018 – Present

Faculty Advisor of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Grand Valley State University, Fall 2015 – Spring 2015

Assessment Committee at St. Gregory’s University, 2013

Faculty Sponsor for the Hispanic American Student Association (HASA) at St. Gregory’s 2012 - 2013

Created Graduate School Information Session at St. Gregory’s University, 2012

Chaired SEC Forum at Clark University, 2008-2009

Co-founded Clark Graduate Student Forum 2007

Editorial Associate for Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Sciences and Culture & Psychology

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

American Psychological Association, Division 24

REFERENCES

Dr. Jaan Valsiner
Aalborg University
Email jvalsiner@hum.aau,dk
Phone: 508.335.8459

Dr. Jeffrey Reber
University of West Georgia
Email: jreber@westga.edu
Phone: 678.839.0614

Dr. Jess Kohlert
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Email: jess.kohlert.byuh.edu
Phone: 808.675.4538

CV Last Revised 06/12/2024