Vamik Volkan – författare

2021 Gradiva Award Winner

Following the deadly 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, numerous recent, and fatal, attacks on mosques, churches, and synagogues occurring worldwide, and increasing totalitarianism and paranoia spreading through many countries, Dr Vamık Volkan could no longer ignore the urge to write a new book about large-group problems. In many countries, people are asking the metaphorical question “Who are we now?” and coming up with seemingly opposite answers. This book looks into the reasons why this is happening.

With a summary of Sigmund Freud’s ideas about large groups – which focus on the individual – Dr Volkan builds on this base to explain what large-group psychology is in its own right and applies it to present-day society. How it develops in adulthood, the psychology of decision-making and political leader/follower relationships, political propaganda, and exaggerated narcissism in leaders are all examined.

We are all members of at least one large group. Looking into large-group identity provides background data for investigating the spread of racism, authoritarian regimes, malignant political propaganda, wall building, and interferences with democratic processes and human rights issues.

Large-Group Psychology: Racism, Societal Divisions, Narcissistic Leaders and Who We Are Now is the perfect book for those questioning what is happening in society today and why.

Vamık Volkan examines the impact of past and present historical events, cultural elements, political movements and their mental images on the psyche of individuals. Beginning with the history of the debates concerning the relevance of external events to the human psyche, Volkan moves on to look at the spread of psychoanalysis worldwide and the need to become familiar with the cultural, historical, and political issues when working abroad. The remaining chapters follow the story of a successful businessman who calls himself a ''Muslim Armenian''. His psychological journey clearly illustrates how ghosts from the past can remain alive and active in our lives, and how a clear understanding of his people’s history and culture allowed the analyst to understand some important causes of his symptoms and personality characteristics.

By presenting a total case report, Volkan illustrates the methods applied to improve the analysand’s psychological health. By presenting a case from the viewpoint of a psychoanalytic supervisor, including the supervisor’s reactions to the individual being analysed, he has exposed another rich topic to consideration. With this book, Vamık Volkan has given us much to reflect upon.

Vamık Volkan examines the impact of past and present historical events, cultural elements, political movements and their mental images on the psyche of individuals. Beginning with the history of the debates concerning the relevance of external events to the human psyche, Volkan moves on to look at the spread of psychoanalysis worldwide and the need to become familiar with the cultural, historical, and political issues when working abroad. The remaining chapters follow the story of a successful businessman who calls himself a ''Muslim Armenian''. His psychological journey clearly illustrates how ghosts from the past can remain alive and active in our lives, and how a clear understanding of his people’s history and culture allowed the analyst to understand some important causes of his symptoms and personality characteristics.

By presenting a total case report, Volkan illustrates the methods applied to improve the analysand’s psychological health. By presenting a case from the viewpoint of a psychoanalytic supervisor, including the supervisor’s reactions to the individual being analysed, he has exposed another rich topic to consideration. With this book, Vamık Volkan has given us much to reflect upon.

2021 Gradiva Award Winner

Following the deadly 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, numerous recent, and fatal, attacks on mosques, churches, and synagogues occurring worldwide, and increasing totalitarianism and paranoia spreading through many countries, Dr Vamık Volkan could no longer ignore the urge to write a new book about large-group problems. In many countries, people are asking the metaphorical question “Who are we now?” and coming up with seemingly opposite answers. This book looks into the reasons why this is happening.

With a summary of Sigmund Freud’s ideas about large groups – which focus on the individual – Dr Volkan builds on this base to explain what large-group psychology is in its own right and applies it to present-day society. How it develops in adulthood, the psychology of decision-making and political leader/follower relationships, political propaganda, and exaggerated narcissism in leaders are all examined.

We are all members of at least one large group. Looking into large-group identity provides background data for investigating the spread of racism, authoritarian regimes, malignant political propaganda, wall building, and interferences with democratic processes and human rights issues.

Large-Group Psychology: Racism, Societal Divisions, Narcissistic Leaders and Who We Are Now is the perfect book for those questioning what is happening in society today and why.

Das interdisziplinäre Lehrbuch zum Sozialen Trauma schließt eine Lücke zwischen klinischen und sozialwissenschaftlichen Traumatheorien und bietet Grundlagen für die universitäre Lehre sowie einen Überblick für alle, die sich mit Opfern sozialer Gewalt befassen. International führende Expert*innen skizzieren konzeptionelle Ansätze, Behandlungsmethoden und Forschungsstrategien zum Verständnis sozialer Traumatisierungen (kollektive Gewalt, Verfolgung, Folter und Zwangsmigration) in einem breiteren Spektrum von Ansätzen, das sowohl die Klinische Psychologie als auch die Psychiatrie, Sozialpsychologie, Entwicklungspsychologie, Kulturwissenschaften, Politologie, Recht, spezifische Forschungsmethodiken, Ethik und Didaktik umfasst. Das Buch, das aus einem zehnjährigen interdisziplinären und internationalen Dialog hervorgegangen ist, bietet somit eine nützliche Referenz.