[A-List] Upcoming Symposium on the Psychologies of the Religious Fundamentalist

["Library of Social Science" <libraryofsocialscience@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Join RICHARD KOENIGSBERG, MICHAEL EIGEN, ANA-MARIA RIZZUTO, WALTER DAVIS, CHUCK STROZIER, JOEL WHITEBOOK, SUE GRAND, WERNER BOHLEBER, MOISHE HALEVI SPEROS, and JIM JONES in an online Symposium discussing the writings of RUTH STEIN and exploring the psychological sources of religious fundamentalism, political activism and violence.

 

 

NEW PSYBC SYMPOSIUM

 Religious Fundamentalism: Toward a Psychoanalytic Understanding [SPECIAL]: Dates: June 21 - July 20

·         The resurgence of religion during the past 35 years has included the powerful appeal of religious fundamentalism. Fundamentalist movements are a global phenomenon generally understood to be reactions to aspects of "modernity" (pluralism, market economies, globalization and human rights movements) that are experienced as threats to their worldviews and personal identities. Such fundamentalist movements are problematic not only because they are increasingly politically active, acting as obstacles to democratic principles, human rights efforts, and attempts to create economic improvement, but also because, in some cases, their activism becomes violent. Indeed, many fundamentalist groups have a high potential for theocratic politics, the violation of human rights, and violence.

 

·         Given the powerful appeal of religious fundamentalism, the political activism associated with it, and the availability of weapons of mass destruction, understanding the psychology of the members, activists, and leaders of religious fundamentalist movements has become urgent. It has become crucial to understand the appeal of fundamentalist movements, the psychological nature of the threat to which they are a response, the obstacles to entering into dialogue with them, and their vulnerability to becoming violent. In each case (their anxieties, appeal, obstacles to dialogue, and vulnerability to violence) there are powerful psychological forces at play that are only superficially understood and that must be addressed for social and political solutions to be successful.

We are very pleased to announce the first program of what we hope will become a series of symposia devoted to the psychological study of religious fundamentalists.  Our first program will discuss two papers by Ruth Stein.

Evil as Love and as Liberation: The Mind of a Suicidal Religious Terrorist

Fundamentalism and Vertical Desire

The papers will be discussed by a distinguished group of analysts drawn from all schools of thought.

 

·         For more information about the panelists and to register go to the PsyBC's website or Click here or follow this url:

 

http://www.psybc.com/symposia_desc.php?series_id=6

 

_____________________________________________________

 

Richard Koenigsberg’s papers on the psychology of Nazism, genocide and war are now available on-line for researchers and classroom use.

 

The Logic of the Holocaust: Why the Nazis Killed the Jews

 

The Sacrificial Meaning of the Holocaust

 

 

Please Click here or follow this url:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~libraryofsocialscience/