Hedda Bolgar Series

Vamik Volkan, MD

(Charlottesville, VA)

Friday, September 27, 2024

Human Aggression and War

Preceding Film:

Blind Trust: Leaders & Followers in Times of Crisis

Directed by Molly Castelloe, PhD

An award-winning documentary showcasing Dr. Vamik Volkan’s groundbreaking work as a psychoanalyst, fostering dialogue among representatives of conflicting groups in traumatized regions around the world.

7-9.30pm: (CST): ZOOM Presentation & Discussion

About the presentation: It is not surprising that while watching the news from Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza, and other places experiencing wars or war-like situations, we are reminded of the correspondence between Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud in 1932. Einstein posed several questions: “Is there any way of delivering mankind from the menace of war?” “How is it possible for a small group with a hunger for political power to bend the will of the majority, who stand to lose and suffer from a state of war, to the service of their ambitions?” and “Is it possible to control man’s mental evolution so as to make him proof against the psychoses of hate and destructiveness?”

After briefly discussing my experiences off the couch,  I will describe large group identity and our need to have enemies and allies.  My term “large-group” refers to thousands or millions of people who share a historical background and common sentiments. I am referring to tribal, ethnic, national, religious or ideological groups. The subjective experiences of such large group identities are expressed in terms such as “We are Apache,” “We are Palestinian,” “We are Jews living in Lithuania”, “We are French,” “We are Sunni Muslim,” “We are Communist.”

Information about large group identity and examination of situations that make people to grasp on their large group identities help us to consider the question “Why War?”  I will then turn my attention to leader-followers psychology, and the role of Vladimir Putin’s personality organization in the invasion of Ukraine.

Vamık D. Volkan, M.D., born in 1932 in Cyprus, is a Turkish Cypriot-born American psychiatrist known for his extensive work in conflict resolution and dialogue. He is president emeritus of the International Dialogue Initiative (IDI) and an emeritus professor at the University of Virginia, where he served for 39 years, including 18 years as medical director of Blue Ridge Hospital. Volkan founded the Center for the Study of Mind and Human Interaction (CSMHI) in 1987, focusing on issues such as ethnic tension and terrorism. He was involved in international negotiations, including work with the Soviet Union, and served on committees and networks under Jimmy Carter and the World Health Organization. Volkan has received numerous honors, including honorary doctorates and nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize, and has held various academic positions worldwide.

Molly Castelloe, Ph.D. (filmmaker): holds a doctorate in Performance Studies at New York University in theater and psychology and is an advanced candidate at The National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis.  She has published articles about psychoanalysis for international peer-reviewed journals.  Her film “Blind Trust” garnered the Gradiva Award and has been shown at the Freud museums, in London and Vienna, and at The Hague. It has also been screened at international film festivals including The Global Health Film Festival and on Public Television. 

Learning Objectives

-Participants will be able to describe psychoanalytic large group psychology.

-Participants will consider the impact of a political leader’s personality organization in massive destructive processes.

This is an All Level Presentation

Fees

CCP members: free with annual $195 membership, payable at registration.

Students:free with annual $175 membership, payable at registration.

New Fellows / Ongoing: free with annual $250/$300 membership, payable at registration.

Non-CCP members, single admission: $50

Continuing Education

This program is sponsored for Continuing Education Credits by the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis. There is no commercial support for this program, nor are there any relationships between the continuing education sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants or other funding that could be construed as conflicts of interest. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If the program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods. The Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis maintains responsibility for this program and its content. CCP is licensed by the state of Illinois to sponsor continuing education credits for Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors, Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Counselors and Licensed Clinical Psychologists (license no. 159.000941 and 268.000020 and 168.000238 Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation).

Professionals holding the aforementioned credentials will receive 2.0 continuing education credits for attending the entire program. To receive these credits a completed evaluation form must be turned in at the end of the presentation and licensed psychologists must first complete a brief exam on the subject matter. No continuing education credit will be given for attending part of the presentation. Refunds for CE credit after the program begins will not be honored. If a participant has special needs or concerns about the program, s/he/they should contact Toula Kourliouros Kalven by September 26, 2024 at: tkalven@ccpsa.org

References/Suggested Readings

Freud, S. (1933). Why War? Standard Edition, 22: 197-215. London: Hogarth Press, 1961.

Putin, V., Gevorkyan, N., Timakova, N. & Kolesnikov, A. (2000). First Person. An Astonishingly Frank Self-Portrait by Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Translated by Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. New York: PublicAffairs.

Volkan, V. D. (2004). Blind Trust: Large Groups and Their

Leaders in Times of Crises and Terror. Charlottesville, VA: Pitchstone.

Volkan, V. D. (2013). Enemies on the Couch: A Psychopolitical Journey Through War and Peace. Durham, NC: Pitchstone.

Volkan, V. D. and Volkan. K (2024).Human Aggression, War, and Genocide. Durham, NC: Pitchstone (will be published in November 2024) 

Presented by

The Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis/CCP Program Committee: Claude Barbre, PhD, Toula Kourliouros Kalven, Alan Levy, PhD, Zak Mucha, LCSW

The Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis is an IRS 501(C)(3) charitable organization, and expenses may be tax deductible to the extent allowed by law and your personal tax situation.