Anthony Joseph Marsella

In addition to being a husband, father, grandfather, teacher, and friend, he was a pioneer in the study of cultural determinants of psychopathology and therapies, and a leader in cross-cultural psychology and global and international psychology. Many of his writings are considered essential reading for students and scholars in psychology, psychiatry, and the social sciences. During his career he challenged the ethnocentricity and inherent cultural and racial biases of Western psychology and psychiatry.

EARLY LIFE

Anthony J. Marsella was born on September 12th,1940 into an immigrant Sicilian-American family in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a curious and gifted youngster who skipped grades in elementary school and went by the nickname “Babe”.

During high school years at John Adams High School, a large public inner-city school in Cleveland, he emerged as a school leader (e.g., president of the Student Council and president of the senior class) and also participated in athletics and community activities. His academic and extracurricular record resulted in his selection as Teenager of the Year in Cleveland, which came with an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

EDUCATION

Tony went on to study at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, on a 4-year General Motors Scholarship, where he received his B.A. degree with Honors in Psychology and where he met his wife, Joy (Boor) Marsella. During his undergraduate years, he was a volunteer at local mental hospitals where he interacted with severely disturbed clients, stimulating a lifelong interest in schizophrenia, mood disorders, and trauma, that subsequently became the topic of his doctoral dissertation in clinical psychology at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, in 1968. In the course of his doctoral work, he minored in cultural anthropology and philosophy of science. After completing an internship at Worcester State Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts, he received an appointment as a Fulbright Research Scholar to Ateneo De Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines, where he taught and conducted research on social stress and psychopathology in urban Manila.

EMPLOYMENT

He subsequently served as field research director for a large-scale psychiatric epidemiological survey in the jungles of Sarawak (Borneo) designed to determine rates of mental illness among Chinese, Malay, and Iban (an indigenous tribal group) populations. Following a post-doctoral year as a Culture and Mental Health Fellow at the East-West Center/SSRI in Honolulu, he was appointed to the faculty of the Department of Psychology at the University of Hawai`i, a position he held until he retired in 2003. Between the years 1985-1989, he served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Hawai`i.

Dr. Marsella was most recently Emeritus Professor of Psychology, and Past Director of the World Health Organization Psychiatric Research Center in Honolulu, Past Director of the Clinical Studies Program, and Past Director of the Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Program at the University of Hawai`i.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Dr. Marsella served as a consultant to numerous national and international agencies and organizations. He has been a Visiting Professor in Australia (Melbourne University & Monash University), Korea (Korea University), India (King George Medical College), China (Shanghai Psychiatric Institute), and the Philippines (Ateneo de Manila University). In addition, he has been a visiting professor at the Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland), Clemson University (Clemson, SC), and a Visiting Lecturer at numerous national and international universities and research centers. He was past President of the Psychologists for Social Responsibility (www.PsySR.org).

PUBLICATIONS

Dr. Marsella published over twenty edited and authored books, and more than 300 book chapters, journal articles, technical reports, book reviews, and popular national and international press/media service articles. He was awarded numerous research and training grants and contracts in the areas of cross-cultural psychopathology and psychotherapy, PTSD, social stress and coping, schizophrenia, disasters, and the global challenges of our times. He served on many journal editorial boards, and scientific and professional advisory committees. He was an Associate Editor for the Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology (John Wiley & Sons), and was one of a dozen Senior Editors for the Encyclopedia of Psychology (Oxford University Press/American Psychological Association). He served as senior editor for the cultural and international psychology book series for Springer SBM Publications (New York), a 52-volume series.

LEGACY

Dr. Marsella is widely known nationally and internationally as a pioneer figure in the study of culture, psychology, and psychopathology, who challenged the ethnocentric and racial biases of many assumptions, theories, methods, and practices in psychology and psychiatry. One of his frequently cited papers on “global-community psychology” published in the American Psychologist, December 1998, calls for the development of a new psychology that is relevant and responsive to the challenges of our global era, including the internationalization of the psychology curriculum. In more recent years, Dr. Marsella wrote extensively on the challenges of war and peace in our global era, and in his later career, much of his writing focused on peace and social justice.

Dr. Marsella directed approximately 100 doctoral dissertations and masters’ theses, and served as a committee member on scores of others during the course of his long career at the University of Hawai`i.

Native Hawaiian leaders expressed their gratitude to Dr. Marsella for championing their causes—commissioning the historic University of Hawai`i at Manoa Ka`u report and supporting the establishment of a Center for Hawaiian Studies at UH—and making many aware of the University’s responsibility to the Native people of Hawai`i.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Dr. Marsella received the College of Social Sciences Award for Teaching Excellence and was selected by the American Psychological Association as a Master Lecturer Award for 1994 for his contributions in cross-cultural psychology and psychopathology. In 1994, he was selected as the Best Teacher in the "Best of Manoa Student Poll" at the University of Hawai`i. The Hawai`i Psychological Association (HPA) selected Dr. Marsella for its Significant Professional Contribution Award for his scholarly and professional achievements in 1996, and, in 2004, Hawaii Psychological Association presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. He received the Alumni Merit Award from his alma mater, Baldwin-Wallace College, and was subsequently selected as the first recipient of the Kathryn Grover Harrington Scholar Award from Baldwin-Wallace College. He received the Medal of Highest Honor from Soka University in Tokyo, Japan, for his contributions to the academy and to the promotion of international peace. In 1996, the American Psychological Association selected Dr. Marsella for the Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology Award. He was listed in Who's Who in America in 1996. In November, 1999, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree – Doctoris Honoris Causa by the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark at a ceremony presided over by Queen Margritte. In 2003, Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PsySR) created the annual Anthony J. Marsella Prize for Peace and Social Justice in honor of his work. He was awarded the International Psychologist of the Year Award by Division 52 of the American Psychological Association in 2004. In addition, in 2004, the Asian-American Psychological Association awarded him The Presidential Award for contributions to Asian-Americans. In 2007, he received the “Outstanding Retired Faculty Award from the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaii. In August, 2009, he was presented with the International Academy of Intercultural Research Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2010, he was awarded the International Mentoring Award from APA Division 52. He received The Columbia University Teachers’ College Counselors Roundtable Award for Distinguished Contributions to Peace and Social Justice in February 2012. In August 2012, the International Section of the APA Division of Counseling presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to internationalizing counseling psychology. In June, 2013, he was selected as one of twelve pioneers in the field of multicultural counseling and psychology, and was invited to submit an autobiographical article in The Handbook of Multicultural Counseling.

RETIREMENT

Upon retiring from the University of Hawai`i, Mānoa after 35 years, Tony made his home in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where he lived for the past two decades, filling his time by reading, cooking, and introspecting about life. He continued to write philosophical and professional articles and took up writing poetry and short stories in his last years.

FAMILY

He is predeceased by his beloved mother Antonia (Coppola) Luparello and stepfather Stephen Luparello and is survived by: Joy Ann Marsella (Professor Emeritus, Department of English, University of Hawai`i), his ex-wife, to whom he was married for 50 years. Beloved daughter Laura Contant, son-in-law Dave Contant, and grandchildren Taylor Telford and Connor Telford. Beloved daughter Gianna Marsella, son-in-law Eric Yap, and granddaughters Calista Yap and Miranda Yap.

MEMORIAL

His family and friends will miss his passion and compassion for others, his humor, generosity, and zest for life. His scores of colleagues and former students mourn the loss of a mentor who passionately spoke up against injustice—no matter the personal cost, and his unending loyalty to the people and causes he loved.

A memorial service will be held at a later time in Hawai'i. To offer your condolences, please visit www.roswellfuneralhome.com.

You're also invited to share personal and professional memories by adding a message to a memorial legacy card as evidence of his global legacy.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Anthony J. Marsella to any charity fighting injustice or promoting peace and tolerance.