Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Emotions and their Impact International Conference C. G. Jung Institute Küsnacht (ZH)
30 June – 2 July 2023
“… emotion is the alchemical fire whose warmth brings everything into existence and whose heat burns all superfluities to ashes…. emotion is the moment when steel meets flint and a spark is struck forth, for emotion is the chief source of consciousness. There is no change from darkness to light or from inertia to movement without emotion.”
[C.G. Jung, CW 9i, para. 179]
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the C.G. Jung Institute in Küsnacht (ZH), we are pleased to announce an international, interdisciplinary three-day conference on the crucial topic of emotions and its relevance for analytical psychology.
C.G. Jung’s complex theory is based on the study of emotions and their embodied symptoms. Following his analysis of complexes through the association experiment in the early 20th century, emotions were viewed as the main indicators for his understanding of the individual psychodynamics. The unfolding of emotions highlights the singularity of the person, the complexity of coping mechanisms and relational patterns. Emotions are the driving forces behind our social and psychic life. They allow us to connect with ourselves, the other, and with nature. From the viewpoint of analytical psychology, beyond their importance for the individual life, emotions help us to perceive and understand collective and archetypal dynamics in society.
Contemporary psychology is experiencing a resurge of interest into the role of emotion, conscious and unconscious, and the body in various aspects of cognition, consciousness, and psychic life. An ongoing trend in neuroscientific and psychological studies of embodied emotion emphasizes interdisciplinary perspectives and proposes the indivisibility of body and mind. In psychotherapy research and practice: attention to the interplay of emotions, bodily perceptions, and consciousness is becoming predominant. 2
What can analytical psychology contribute to the understanding of emotions, and what can analytical psychology learn from contemporary research on the topic? We invite you to take part in this dialogue about the legacy of Jung and contemporary research. Our aim is to foster an open dialogue between related fields in the spirit of Jung, providing space for different methodologies and perspectives. We are pleased to announce the following keynote speakers:
- Dr Christof Flückiger, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Zürich
- Dr Verena Kast, em. Professor of Psychology, University of Zürich, former president of IAAP and of the C.G. Jung institute Board of Directors.
- Dr Sonu Shamdasani, Professor of History, University College London, UK, editor of the Red Book, and the Black Books of C. G. Jung
- Dr Pilleriin Sikka, senior lecturer in cognitive neuroscience, University of Skovde (Sweden) and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Turka (Finnland).
We welcome proposals for papers from all fields related to the study of emotion and its impact on culture, the inner world, creativity, healing, science, and politics. The conference is to be held in English and German and thus welcomes proposals in both languages.
To submit your proposal, please send an abstract of up to 300 words with a short biography that includes clinical and/or academic background, professional affiliations, and recent publications. Submissions should be in English and/or German; please attach as a Word document and send it to 2023conference@junginstitut.ch. Submission deadline is 28 February, 2022.
With warm regards,
The Conference Program Committee
Christof Ammermann, Paul Gregory Attinello, Elizabeth Brodersen, Arthur T. Funkhouser, Isabelle Meier, Valeria Céspedes Musso
Members of the research commission of the C.G. Jung institute Zürich