Cultural complex,death anxiety and individuation during times of populism: a dialogue between Jungian psychology and social psychology |
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Authors: | Helge Michael Osterhold |
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Affiliation: | California, USA |
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Abstract: | A trend towards political polarization and radicalization is observable in many countries across the world. The rise of populist movements and an increasingly heated polarized discourse in the face of mounting environmental and cultural challenges calls for a multifaceted psychological engagement with these phenomena. C.G. Jung’s vision of individuation remains crucial for understanding, and possibly mitigating, developments towards radicalization and division within and between cultures. This paper considers classic and contemporary depth psychological ideas regarding individuation, shadow work and cultural complexes, and applies these ideas to current socio-political developments. To further elucidate, Jungian thought is brought into conversation with the findings of a body of literature within social psychology called Terror Management Theory (TMT) which points to unconscious death anxiety as amplifying a sense of separation and otherness, as well as judgment and conflict between individuals and groups. This paper aims to deepen the understanding of current cultural polarization phenomena as well as to collective healing and growth by synthesizing ideas from Jung and TMT research, and to rekindle the fire of individuation as a counter to the trend of polarization, alienation and conflict. |
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Keywords: | cultural complex death anxiety depth psychology individuation polarization populism Terror Management Theory individuation complexe culturel angoisse de mort théorie du management de la terreur psychologie des profondeurs populisme polarisation Individuation kultureller Komplex Todesangst Terror-Management-Theory Tiefenpsychologie Populismus Polarisation individuazione complesso culturale angoscia di morte teoria della gestione del terrore psicologia del profondo populismo polarizzazione индивидуация культурный комлекс страх смерти теория управления террором глубинная психология популизм поляризация individuación complejo cultural ansiedad de muerte teoría de gestión del terror psicología profunda populismo polarización 自性化, 文化情结, 死亡焦虑, 恐怖管理理论, 深度心理学, 民粹主义, 极化 |
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