Dear All
Thank you so much for the opportunity to host the conference in South Africa
and to co-chair it.
My own sense is that it was a resounding success. I am
indebted to the entire EC in this respect, but must make particular mention
of my co-chair Marybeth. Marybeth’s patience (especially with me), tireless
work and holding presence throughout the conference, helped make this event
everything it was.
Liz, I would also like to say a special word of thanks to you for your
warmth and support both in the planning stages and at the event. It was such
a pleasure to meet you!
It was very special and memorable to get to meet those who were there in
person. The few moments we got to share together will not be soon forgotten.
Michael, you were sorely missed, but with us in spirit.
Warmly and respectfully yours,
Stephen Farah
Responses from the conference
August 8 2017
Dear IAJS members
I want to add a few thoughts to what has already been shared by those present at the conference in Cape Town.
Borrowing John Beebe’s style of film analysis, I will focus on a few images and moments that stood out for me.
Andrew’s closing keynote ‘You Better Start Swimming or You‘ll Sink Like a Stone: Activism, Analysis, and the Role of the Academy’ was tour de force, met by as close to a standing ovation as one can get at an academic conference. Interweaving a multitude of disciplinary threads, including depth psychology, the socio-political, Western and African thinkers, activism, theory and empirical data, Andrew was on top form. Arguing for an evolution both in our relationship to and conceptualisation of the “Other”. More specifically, of those traditionally marginalised by the Western Eurocentric paradigm with its accompanying ideological prejudices. Andrew argued, as his title suggests, for an evolution and democratisation of psychotherapy.
Roger Brooke’s keynote, beyond sharing a personal memories and reflections of his youth during apartheid, deeply uncomfortable from the South African perspective, analysed some of Jung’s African memoirs, dreams and his analysis thereof. Suggesting that possibly the great man himself was prone to stumble on certain ingrained ideological prejudices, particularly with respect to Africans and African culture. His constructive thesis centred on the South African philosophy of ‘Ubuntu’ and its psychological and social applications. I was also fortunate enough to attend Roger’s workshop, ‘Putting nightmares to bed’ where he presented some of his case work involving the use of dreams, active imagination and ritual, in the treatment of trauma in American soldiers and veterans. Not a workshop those present will forget anytime soon.
With my own passion for the cinematic medium, John Beebe’s twin presentations on the Friday: his morning keynote and presentation and discussion of the film, Phoenix, that evening, was a personal highlight. John’s use of personal narrative, political reflections, dream, image and metaphor was sublime, a master of his craft. Affording us an insight into the “spectre of the Other” in its symbolic manifestation.
Fanny Brewster’s opening plenary paper was arresting, and her poetry reading, haunting. Jutta Schamp’s analysis of Anton Nimblett’s literary work was a highlight. Nomfundo Milisa’s presence, ritual opening and closing and closing plenary stood out. I was very taken by the American analyst, Alan Vaughn’s, ‘The African Diaspora: Post-modern views of analytical psychology in a cultural context.’
A remark made in to the closing plenary by the Mexican American analyst, Gustavo Beck, stays with me. Gustavo throughout the conference applied a tourniquet of moderation to anything approaching the self-congratulatory in the various presentations. He was the voice, for me, in the conference, of the intertwining issues: of contemporary American politics and of historical prejudice and eurocentrism. He struck me as man not easily impressed by rhetoric. His final remark, and naturally I paraphrase, was to the effect that he left this conference with the sense that something meaningful had been achieved with the conference. That he was somehow nurtured, rather than left feeling empty as one so often can at the end of such an event.
Of course, there were many more than I mention here. I only offer these a small sample of the rich offerings of the conference
I believe the conference was meaningful. Tackling a long overdue, topical and challenging theme, from the Jungian perspective. We are planning a special edition of the journal to publish few of the papers presented. Also, as Andrew mentioned, we filmed all the keynotes and are hoping to produce a short documentary of the event.
In conclusion, I would like to respond to the discussion on the intellectual virtue of the event. Naturally that is something history will decide and anything said now must be treated as speculation. My own sense is that what is being attempted at such a conference, is an extension of thought and the exchange of ideas, beyond the paradigm of Western scientism and exclusively Eurocentric notions of truth. Whether that is achievable is, of course, entirely debatable, but, as I understand it, that is the aim. To fail to hold that as an aspiration for the conference would surely be to fail in the paradigmatic conceptualisation of such an endeavour. So, any measure of intellectual, social or cultural value of such an enterprise should be with this in mind.
All good wishes,
Stephen Farah, conference co-chair.
I have attached a few photos from the conference.
Dear Registered Conference Presenters and/or Conference Attendees,
The weather is still a bit cool in Cape Town, but we have a warm reception waiting for you at the conference. We truly look forward to seeing you in Cape Town July 27-30!
Conference Program–Extensive Changes to Days/Times of some presentations:
The program has been rearranged due to some changes in presenters. A copy of the latest version of the conference program is attached. If you are a presenter, please review the program and let Marybeth Carter (mcbeth1@msn.com) know of any needed changes to your information. Please save a copy of the program so you can easily review it at the conference or print it out immediately prior to leaving for South Africa. We will have a version on the IAJS website for you to reference via your mobile device and some printed copies on site at registration.
Reminder: you have 20 minutes for giving your paper and 10 minutes for Qu0026amp;A after reading your paper. We ask all presenters to stay in the order you are listed in the program so attendees can move around to hear the papers/see the presenters they are interested in. Please follow the format of 20 minute paper delivery followed by 10 minutes of Qu0026amp;A.
Please do not group all three presentations together followed by 30-40 minutes of Qu0026amp;A. Doing so is one of the chief complaints we receive from conference attendees.
We have tried our best to delete from the program those of you who have needed to cancel your attendance. If you see your name in the program, our apologies to you. However, please do let us know by sending an email. We do not have the person-power or time at this point to remove your email from the group email list, so you received this update. However, hopefully, your inclusion in the program has been deleted.
Logistics Reminders:
- Registration will be held early Thursday morning, July 27, at 7 a.m. and the conference begins at 8:30 a.m. with an opening ritual and keynote panel.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is on your own. Coffee and a light snack will be provided at the morning and afternoon breaks.
- A wine and cheese reception will be held late afternoon/early evening on Thursday, July 27 to help us network and relax a bit with each other.
- A film with discussion will be facilitated by John Beebe on Friday night.
- The Gala Dinner and Dance is scheduled for Saturday night (cost: $50 pp). If you would like to attend the Dinner/Dance, please register for it on line at jungstudies.net–the cost of the dinner is $50. We will need to give the hotel a final count of the number of people attending the dinned by the end of this week, so please go to the website to register and make payment if you’d like to attend this fun event.
Pre-Conference Reading:
Attached, please find a document that Andrew Samuels, one of the opening keynote presenters, asks that all attendees read prior to the start of the conference.
Audio-Visual Support:
We have hired an AV firm to be present at the conference. Please bring your Powerpoint or other multi-media, if you plan to use it when you give your paper, on a Microsoft compatible format thumb drive. We will have Apple technology capability.
Selling Books at the Conference:
If you have published books that focus on Jungian Psychology, you are welcome to ship or bring a few copies of your book(s), or a flyer marketing your book(s), to sell to conference attendees. Routledge is shipping copies of many of the Jungian-related books they publish. If you are published with Routledge, please check with them as to whether they plan to include your books in their shipment. We will have storage and two conference tables set up and staffed with volunteers prepared to sell your books for you. You will need to discount the recommended retail price by 25%, which is for the vendors account. You will also need to provide two printed inventory lists with the books. This must include the sales price in rands.
You are welcome to ship your books (at your own expense) to:
Centre for the Book c/o Odine Oldewage
62 Queen Victoria Street
Cape Town City Centre, 8001
South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 21 423 2669
Please contact Odine Oldewage, o.odine@yahoo.com for info and/or assistance.
You will be responsible for shipping unsold books back to your location.
See you soon!
Marybeth Carter and Stephen Farah
Co-Chairs IAJS 2017 Conference in South Africa
Download the Schedule and the IAAP Jung Apology Statements from the IAAP:
[kleo_button title=”IAAP Statements” href=”https://jungstudies.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IAAP-STATEMENT-TWO-VERSIONS-1-3.docx” style=”default” size=”large” ] [kleo_button title=”IAJS 2017 Conference The Spectre of the Other Schedule” href=”https://jungstudies.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IAJS-2017-Conference-The-Spectre-of-the-Other-v-8-7252017-1.pdf” style=”default” size=”large” ] [kleo_button title=”Conference Schedule in Powerpoint Format” href=”https://jungstudies.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IAJS-2017-Conference-The-Spectre-of-the-Other-v8-7252017-1.pptx” style=”default” size=”large” ]Photographs of the event:
