Jung and the Moment
An International Conference via Zoom
December 2-4, 2022
C.G. JUNG AWARD & KEYNOTE ADDRESS by
RENOS PAPADOPOULOS
From the beginning of his career, in his years spent at Burghölzli, Jung demonstrated an interest in what the unconscious presented at any given moment. His application and development of the word association test was a means of assessing how a patient responded, subtlety and unconsciously—in the moment—to a series of carefully crafted words.
Later, after his break with Freud, his first active imagination, discovered in 1913 amidst his “confrontation with the unconscious,” was a result of his resolution in the moment, whereby he said, “I left myself drop” and “I plunged down into dark depths” (1963, p. 179).
Over the course of three decades, Jung developed his concept of synchronicity, which he later defined as a “a coincidence in time of two or more causally unrelated events, which have the same or similar meaning” (1960/2010, p. 25). Thus, we get a glimpse of Jung’s fascination with moments and their impact upon the psychic life of both individuals and social collectives.
Yet Jung was not simply interested in abstracted moments of time. He lived and wrote and dreamed in the moment. In 1913, he had visions of Europe flooded and “the whole sea turned to blood” (1963, p. 175). These visions from October were followed months later by “a thrice repeated dream” of “an Arctic cold wave” that “descended and froze the land to ice” (p. 176). These dreams and visions presaged the start of worldwide-war, which erupted in August 1914.
And later, in 1958, he wrote about the psychological processes at work in the momentous appearance of UFOs the world over. Ultimately, Jung sought to contextualize the “psychic aspect of the phenomenon” and the association of these images with mandalas and other symbols of totality, which appeared throughout the globe at times of “psychic disorientation or re-orientation” (1958/1978, p. 19; 1969, pp. 31-32).
Furthermore, Jung seemed at times to live beyond his own moment and seemed to be providing for and writing to our own moment in time. The Red Book remained unpublished until just 13 years ago. In this way we are still coming to grips with his legacy and the ways that his work is speaking to us in the moment today.
Ultimately, Jung seemed to view the moment and the momentous through archetypal lenses. He wrote that “the constellated archetype is always the primordial image of the need of the moment” (1952/1967, pp. 293-294).
Thus, what might Jungian methods or approaches give to our world today? How might personality types help us navigate an increasingly digital age? How might active imagination be deployed to assist people plagued by years of pandemic-induced trauma? How might dream analysis help humanity and the world as all life on Earth faces multiple existential threats simultaneously?
Therefore, the IAJS welcomes the submission of proposals across disciplines, borders, and perspectives. We seek to discuss ways in which Jungian psychology meets us all at paths converging upon the current moment. There are historical moments of the past, momentous experiences of the present, and even imagined moments of the future. What are the ways that Jung is relevant here and now? What would Jung say to us in this moment? What would a Jungian approach give to the world today?
Possible topics may include:
Jung + climate change
Jung + fascism
Jung + social injustice
Jung + pandemic
Jung + loss
Jung + war
Jung + the Anthropocene
Jung + a new age
C.G. JUNG AWARD & KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Renos K. Papadopoulos, Ph.D. is Professor of Analytical Psychology and Director of the ‘Centre for Trauma, Asylum and Refugees’, also, a member of the ‘Human Rights Centre’, of the ‘Transitional Justice Network’ and of the ‘Armed Conflict and Crisis Hub’ all at the University of Essex; as well as Honorary Clinical Psychologist and Systemic Family Psychotherapist at the Tavistock Clinic. He is a practising Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist and Jungian Psychoanalyst who spent most of his professional life also training and supervising these three groups of specialists. 26 years ago, he was appointed to the first chair of Jungian Psychology in a British University (with Andrew Samuels). From the mid 1980s and for about a dozen years he used to lecture annually at the ‘C.G. Jung Institute’ in Zurich (Küsnacht). He served on the Executive Committee of the IAAP for several years and he was responsible for initiating (inter alia) the Developing Groups within IAAP. He conceived and organised the first IAAP course on Jungian Psychology abroad (in Moscow) and facilitated the founding of Jungian groups in South Africa, the Soviet Union, Ireland, Yugoslavia, Cyprus and Greece. He introduced (and chaired) the first Academic Sub-committee of the IAAP and, and he organised the first IAAP Academic Conference (in 2002, at the University of Essex). He was the editor of ‘Harvest: International Journal for Jungian Studies‘ for 14 years, founding editor of the ‘International Journal of Jungian Studies‘ and co-founder of the ‘International Association for Jungian Studies‘. His four-volume work ‘C.G. Jung: Critical Assessments’ (1992) remains the lengthiest Jungian book (1750 pages).
As consultant to the United Nations and other organisations, he has been working with refugees, trafficked and tortured persons and other survivors of political violence and disasters in many countries. He founded the first and longest running postgraduate course on Refugee Care. He lectures and offers specialist trainings internationally and his writings have appeared in sixteen languages. Recently, he has been given Awards by the European Family Therapy Association for Life-time ‘Outstanding contribution to the field of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice’, by the University of Essex for the best ‘International Research Impact’, and by two Mexican Foundations for his ‘exceptional work with vulnerable children and families in Mexico’.
Proposal Submissions
The Conference Committee invites submissions for:
• Single or multi-authored scholarly papers (30 minutes including discussion)
• Panels for three or more presenters (130 minutes including discussion)
Conference Committee:
Submit your proposal as a Word doc. containing a Title, Abstract (350-words maximum), and brief Biography to Conference Co-Chairs Jon Mills & Ris Swank at psycho…@sympatico.ca & marisa….@gmail.com
Deadline is August 26, 2022
Conference Fees:
Students: $50
Developing Countries: $100
IAJS Members: $125
Regular: $175
About the International Association for Jungian Studies
The IAJS is a multidisciplinary association dedicated to the exploration and exchange of views about all aspects of the broader cultural legacy of Jung’s work and the history of analytical psychology. Through the development of Jungian and post-Jungian studies, the IAJS aims to aid the understanding of contemporary cultural trends and the history of psychological and cultural tendencies.
Welcome to the IAJS
References
Jung, C. G. (1963). Memories, Dreams, Reflections. New York, NY: Vintage.
Jung, C. G. (1967). Symbols of Transformation (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). In H. Read et al. (Eds.), The
Collected works of C.G. Jung (Vol. 5).Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (Original
work published 1952)
Jung, C. G. (1969). Aion (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). In H. Read et al. (Eds.), The Collected Works of C.G.
Jung (Vol. 9, Part I).Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Jung, C. G. (1978). Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies. (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.).
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1958)
Jung, C. G. (2010). Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle. Princeton, NJ:
Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1960) Introduction and references compiled by Jonathan Vaughn
Jung and the Moment Virtual Conference Hello everyone, I’ve attached the most up-to-date version of the schedule for the conference starting tomorrow. Regards, Ris
Hello everyone, I am very much looking forward to this week’s virtual 2022 IAJS Conference, Jung and the Moment. I hope that we will see many of you at our keynote on Saturday, December 3 to celebrate the work and legacy of Renos Papadopoulos. I have attached our full program and schedule here. You may …
Upcoming IAJS Virtual Conference: Jung and the Moment Read More »
Attached is a schedule and brief program for the IAJS 2022 Virtual Conference, Jung and the Moment. We look forward to celebrating the work and many lasting contributions of C.G. Jung Award recipient Renos Papadopoulos during the keynote on Saturday, December 3. A detailed list of abstracts and bios will be released in the next …
IAJS 2022 Virtual Conference, Jung and the Moment Details Read More »