1st JUNGIANEUM/Biennale: DEMOCRACY ON THE COUCH (IN SEARCH FOR THE FORGOTTEN SELF)

Is it possible to live peacefully on Earth? If not, who or what hinders humanity from achieving this ideal?

 These urgent questions lie at the heart of an upcoming event organized by JUNGIANEUM, with the support of the IAAP. Drawing inspiration from C.G. Jung’s seminal work The Undiscovered Self (published in German as Present and Future), the gathering explores the contemporary relevance of Jung’s inquiry into the psychological and societal barriers to peace.

A distinguished panel of speakers—including Steve Aizenstat, Naomi Azriel, Paul Bishop, Stefano Carpani, Joseph Cambray, Police Officer Az-Oolay, Elana Lakh, Imany Ayad, Brook Laufer, Noa Feuerstein, Arthur Niesser, Nataliia Pavlovskaia, Andrew Samuels, Tom Singer, Murray Stein, Ruth Williams, Mary Watkins, and Polly Young-Eisendrath—will delve into the complex intersection of depth psychology, politics, and human conflict.

At the core of this event is a critical reflection on the enduring presence of war and division in human history. Referencing poetic laments from contemporary music, such as British band Archive’s We Are Disintegration and The Cure’s stark declaration We Are Born to War, the event will consider the archetypal dimensions of conflict. James Hillman’s perspective on war as both a “human work” and an “inhuman horror” highlights its deep psychological and mythological roots—an enduring reality that persists unless fundamentally reimagined.

But what can be done? Drawing on Boris Groys’ assertion that intellectuals are inevitably pulled into political conflicts, the discussion will challenge Jungian analysts to confront the dilemmas of engagement. What role should depth psychology play in today’s polarized world? Should Jungian thought lean toward activism, or is a different kind of communal response—communitas, a coming together beyond binaries—more aligned with its essence?

History shows that when politics and diplomacy falter, societies often turn to sacred texts—not as rigid dogmas, but as symbolic pathways to transformation. For Jungians, these symbols provide an alternative to conflict by fostering deeper psychological insight rather than reinforcing ideological divisions. This event emphasizes that while the enforcement of justice may be the domain of the state, the sense of justice is an individual responsibility—one that requires a reclamation of sensory, ethical, and emotional depth.

Inspired by Ágnes Heller’s critique of modern alienation, the gathering will explore how contemporary life has dulled our capacity for authentic connection, leaving us desensitized in a world of hyper-rationalization and ideological rigidity. By revisiting Jungian thought, the event aims to offer a roadmap for reawakening these lost dimensions of human experience.

Finally, in response to Kae Tempest’s haunting question—What can be done to stay human?—this event serves as both a warning and a call to action. As The Cure’s recent lyrics lament, The fire burned out to ash and the stars grown dim with tears, we are reminded of the fragile nature of hope. Before it is too late, before our collective psyche succumbs to fragmentation, this event invites us to reignite the fundamental spark of our shared humanity.