Jung and Duality: Contemporary Thought

2024 IAJS Online Conference: Conference Focus

Jung emphasized the importance of ‘making darkness conscious.’ To facilitate the confrontation of the unconscious with consciousness, Jung involved a variety of practices such as active imagination, dream work, tending to the soul, alchemical transformation, and transpersonal techniques. In encountering the vast unconsciousness with the light, the psyche transforms, light learns from darkness, and darkness dares to lose some of its mystery. However, if left uncalibrated and unleashed, these encounters can lead to “the emergence of the unconscious opposite in the course of time” (Jung, 1990, Psychological Types. P. 426).

The conference theme addresses contemporary concerns in relation to the notion of the dualistic nature of contrasting elements. Together, we will contemplate how creatively addressing topics such as polarization, cancel culture, self-idolatry, individualization to the detriment of individuation, the need for duality to individuate (or not), and other relevant issues of modernity, which may reveal more profound organizing principles beneath the surface. Perhaps these themes are evidence of processes of individuation as the psyche guides us through these challenging experiences or the necessary obstacles in the Nekiya, consolidating our determination to individuate. These challenges include the theories of good and evil and how we may view them regarding transformation.

The approach of C. G. Jung teaches that a new symbol could emerge in the unfathomable moment when the dark flips into the light, the instant when the dark and the light are identical, a coincidence of opposites, coincidentia oppositorium. Chaos and creativity are closely related, so how do we address and embrace these elements in the current climate? How do our expectations shape their encounters? How do we address collective shadows? A zeitgeist is the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history, as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. Perhaps contrasting elements, complementarity, the dualistic nature of current cultural patterns, or other approaches might provide an opportunity to assimilate aspects that will create conscious awareness and support our collective advancement.

Call for Papers

To be submitted by June 1st, 2024

We invite papers that examine these themes through Jungian and post-Jungian lenses.

Please submit a title, an abstract of no more than 300 words, and a brief bio of no more than 150 words directly on the following form:

The conference’s language is English.

If accepted to present, presenters, as well as attendees will pay the registration fee to attend the conference.

If you have any queries regarding your abstract submission or other queries regarding registration, please email us here: [email protected]