Dear Colleague,
The seminar/study group on the Psychological Interpretation of War with
Richard Koenigsberg at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus (113 W.
60th St.) will begin Friday evening, October 12. A few places are still
available.
We seek PSYCHOLOGISTS and other insightful people who wish to work with
Dr. Koenigsberg to forge a new approach to the study of warfare and other
forms of political violence.
Psychology for many years has studied pathologies of individuals. THE
TIME IS RIPE TO DEVELOP A METHODOLOGY AND THEORY THAT ALLOWS US TO STUDY
THE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OF GROUPS.
The seminar will begin on Friday, October 12 and run through ten
evenings. See list of exact dates below.
SEMINARS WILL TAKE PLACE 7 TO 9
PM.
If
you wish to attend the first session on October 12, 2007, please send an
email to: [log in to unmask]
The meetings will consist of presentations by Dr. Koenigsberg--followed by
intensive discussions in which everyone participates. We will develop
methods and theories allowing us to bring psychological insight and
understanding into the interpretation of political phenomena.
Participants in the Seminar will help to develop--with Dr. Koenigsberg--a
powerful approach toward analyzing and interpreting political ideologies
and the violence they generate. PARTICIPANTS’ OWN WORK WILL BE CONSIDERED
FOR:
- Publication
in the IDEOLOGIES OF WAR AND TERROR Newsletter, which reaches 25,000
scholars.
- Publication
on the website of the CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WAR, GENOCIDE AND TERRORISM.
- Publication
of a Chapter in the Volume "Dying and Killing for Nations: The
Meaning of Warfare in the Twentieth and Twenty-First
Centuries." This book already is under contract with
INFORMATION AGE PUBLISHING.
- Participation
in an international, interdisciplinary seminar that is expected to
occur in April 2008.
If you wish to
attend the first session on October 12, 2007, please send an email to: [log in to unmask]
The seminar will focus on the following topics:
(1) THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLINICAL METHODOLOGY FOR ANALYZING POLITICAL
PHENOMENA: Psychologists are comfortable approaching individuals within a
clinical frame-of-reference. Why do we hesitate to adopt a clinical
posture in relationship to destructive societal processes? We will
discuss a method for disidentifying with our own nations and
belief-systems--in order to adopt a posture of neutrality that allows us
to interrogate the sources of societal violence.
(2) A METHOD FOR ANALYZING POLITICAL TEXTS: HITLER AND THE HOLOCAUST: By
analyzing words, metaphors and images contained within the rhetoric of
political leaders who generate societal violence, it is possible to
discern hidden narratives or fantasies contained within the texts.
Focusing on the language of Nazism, Dr. Koenigsberg will show how
Hitler's words led to the Final Solution. What were the thought processes
or fantasies that led to the Holocaust? Why did Hitler believe that it
was necessary to exterminate the Jewish people?
(3) ENEMY-CREATION: Societies often believe that certain classes of
people constitute a threat to their nation's survival. In this seminar,
we will pay special attention to the psycho-social process of "enemy
creation:" How societies single out certain classes of
people--designate them as "evil"--and then wage war as the
vehicle for destroying evil. We often think of "real dangers"
posed by enemies. However, focusing on Hitler's attitude toward Jews, we
will come to see how extraordinary acts of violence may be undertaken
against "enemies" that pose no threat whatsoever.
(4) SELF-SACRIFICE AND DEVOTION TO SACRED OBJECTS: People often think of
warfare as "aggression." Perhaps it is more appropriate to
understand warfare as a form of sacrifice--not unlike the martyrdom of
terrorists--whereby people die and kill in order to demonstrate devotion
to an idealized object. What is the nature of the "love" for
one's nation that generates a willingness to kill and die in its name?
If you wish to
attend the first session on October 12, 2007, please send an email to: [log in to unmask]
(5) AMERICA'S RETURN TO AN IDEOLOGY OF WARFARE: In the 1990s, it seemed that
warfare was on the wane. U. S. foreign policy revolved around
"averting casualties." After September 11, 2001, the U. S.
resurrected the ideology of warfare. It was not enough to capture Osama
Bin Laden. Rather, the "war on terror" sought destruction of
any and all "evil enemies." The U. S. would return to what it
once had been: a heroic nation willing to sacrifice the lives of people
in the name of its sacred ideals.
To Reach Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus by Subway. The A, B, C, D, 1, and 9 subway
trains all stop at 59th Street/Columbus Circle. The campus is located one
block north of 59th Street on 60th Street. Walk one block from CPW on
60th Street. The entrance is located at 113 W. 60th Street.
At the entrance tell the guard that you are attending the Seminar (or
Koenigsberg's Seminar) in Room 311. Take the escalator to the 1st floor
and elevator to the third floor. Turn left when you get off the elevator.
Room 311 is located near the end of the hallway on the left.
Dates:
October 12: (1)
October 19: (2)
October 26: (3)
November 2: (4)
November 9: (5)
November 16: (6)
November 23: (Thanksgiving break)
November 30: (7)
December 7: (8)
December 14: (9)
December 21: (10)
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