IPU Spotlight

IPU-Juniorprofessorin Leonie Kampe publiziert Studie zu Bindungsinterviews
In ihrer Studie "Meine Mutter war liebevoll, fürsorglich und nett!" beleuchtet IPU-Juniorprofessorin Prof. Dr. Leonie Kampe gemeinsam mit Anna Buchheim Sprache als zentrales Instrument der Bindungs- und Psychotherapieprozessforschung. Anhand von Auszügen aus Bindungsinterviews werden sprachliche Spezifika und Abwehrmechanismen vierer Bindungskategorien herausgearbeitet, die zuvor anhand linguistischer Marker und einer Analyse von Fehlleistungen und Inkohärenzen in der Erzählung früher Beziehungserfahrungen erarbeitet wurden. Der Artikel ist im Open-Access des Journals "Psychotherapie Forum" verfügbar.

IPU-Lehrbeauftragter Aaron Lahl übersetzt Dagmar Herzogs Cold War Freud ins Deutsche
Aaron Lahl, wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter der IPU, hat Dagmar Herzogs Monographie Cold War Freud ins Deutsche übersetzt. Sie erscheint am 20.11. im Suhrkamp Verlag. Herzog geht darin den Transformationsprozessen der psychoanalytischen Theorie nach, die etwa durch die Erbschaften des Nationalsozialismus, die sexuelle Revolution und die Dekolonisation angestoßen wurden. In diesem Kontext arbeitet sie heraus, wie die konkurrierenden Theorien über Begehren, Angst, Aggression, Lust und Trauma historisch mal konservativen und mal subversiven Zielen dienten und betont zugleich das besondere Potenzial der Psychoanalyse als Erkenntnisinstrument im Dickicht der Verflechtung von Psyche und Gesellschaft.

International Conference on Conversation Analysis and Psychotherapy (ICCA-P) 2024 opened by IPU professor 
Mark your calendars for 13-15 March, 2024, as the International Conference on Conversation Analysis and Psychotherapy 2024 is set to unfold in Mannheim, centered around the theme of therapeutic change. IPU professor Michael B. Buchholz was invited to open the conference on 13 March as the first of three keynote speakers. The ICCA-P took place at the IPU in 2019 with many well-known international speakers. The connection was made thanks to JUNKTIM, the first affiliative institute of the IPU, led by Prof. Buchholz. Find out more about the conference here.

Podcast von SWR2-Wissen "Psychoanalyse heute – Was bleibt von Freud?" mit IPU-Beteiligung
Im Podcast von SWR2-Wissen geht es um den aktuellen Stand der Psychoanalyse. Dazu hat Beate Krol die IPU besucht und unter anderem mit zwei Studierenden sowie Seniorprofessor Prof. Dr. Michael B. Buchholz gesprochen. Die Sendung ist in voller Länge in der Mediathek nachzuhören.

Neues Heft Nr. 173 von psychosozial herausgegeben von Prof. Dr. Benigna Gerisch und Prof. Dr. Vera King | Heft Nr. 164 von Prof. Dr. Michael B. Buchholz
Wie verändern sich Beziehungsmodelle in der aktuellen Zeit? Welchem kulturellen Wandel unterliegen Fantasien und Sehnsüchte? Welche Anforderungen werden heute an Partnerschaften gestellt? Das neue Heft Nr. 173 von psychosozial thematisiert diese und andere Fragen. IPU-Professorin Benigna Gerisch ist Mitherausgeberin, zudem sind im Heft Beiträge von weiteren IPU-Angehörigen.

Von IPU-Seniorprofessor Michael B. Buchholz herausgegeben wurde Heft 164 der Zeitschrift zum Thema „Gewalt – Praktiken, Funktionen, kommunikative Werte, Motivationen“. Es enthält Beiträge nur von früheren Studierenden der IPU aus den Seminaren von Prof. Buchholz, die meisten in deutscher, drei Beiträge in englischer Sprache. Sie werfen ein Licht auf sexualisierte Gewalt (auch in Kriegen), in die sexualisierte Gewalt zur Zeit der Apartheid in Südafrika und danach, auf Gewalt bei den G-20 Demonstrationen in Hamburg 2017, auf die Rolle von Wahrheitskommissionen und wann Entschuldigungen eigentlich geglaubt werden können und eine Reihe weiterer Themen.

Deutsches Ärzteblatt über die 3. Internationale Erich-Fromm-Forschungskonferenz an der IPU Berlin
In einem ausführlichen Bericht widmet sich die August-Ausgabe des Deutschen Ärzteblatts des 3. Internationalen Erich-Fromm-Forschungskonferenz, die vom 8. bis 11. Juni an der IPU stattfand. Darin resümiert Joachim Koch die Schwerpunktthemen der Veranstaltung, zeigt die verschiedenen Perspektiven der Konferenz auf und verweist damit auf die Aktualität Fromm'scher Konzepte.

taz-Artikel von Prof. Dr. Christine Kirchhoff über die finanzielle Realität angehender Psychotherapeut:innen
Die Reform des Psychotherapeutengesetzes von 2019 sollte die prekären Bedingungen in der psychotherapeutischen Ausbildung wesentlich verbessern. Vier Jahre später ist die Finanzierung der Weiterbildung immer noch ungeklärt. IPU-Professorin Christine Kirchhoff beleuchtet in einem Artikel für die taz die finanzielle Realität angehender Psychotherapeut:innen, die Versäumnisse der Bundesregierung und die daraus resultierenden Forderungen, auch unter Berücksichtigung der aktuellen Lage von Psychologie-Studierenden. Ihre Kritik richtet sie an das Bundesministerium für Gesundheit.

Martin Teising im philosophischen Radio des WDR 5
Am kommenden Samstag, den 10.06., ist der ehemalige IPU-Präsident Martin Teising von 13 bis 14 Uhr im Radio des WDR 5 zu Gast. Im Rahmen der zehnstündigen Philosophie-Sondersendungen wird er eine Stunde zum Thema Psychoanalyse und Freiheit diskutieren. Welche Freiheiten haben wir, wenn wir anerkennen, dass wir stets auch von unbewussten Motiven und Wünschen geleitet werden? Anschließend kann die Sendung auch über den obenstehenden Link nachgehört werden.

Neuer Sammelband über die Bedeutung von Grenzen für Psyche und Gesellschaft von Martin Teising herausgegeben
Der Sammelband "Die Illusion grenzenloser Verfügbarkeit" widmet sich der widersprüchlichen Bedeutung von Grenzen für Psyche und Gesellschaft. Der Herausgeber, Psychoanalytiker und ehemalige Präsident der IPU Martin Teising setzt sich darin mit dem Verhältnis von Grenzen und Entgrenzung als Spannungsfeld im Politischen, Körperlichen und Psychischen auseinander. In einem weiteren Beitrag spürt er einem Phantasma grenzenloser Autonomie in der Debatte um assistierten Suizid nach. IPU-Professor Bernd Ahrbeck ist mit einem Beitrag über Inklusion vertreten.

Veröffentlichung der Erasmus+ Inklusionsstrategie der Nationalen Agentur für Erasmus+ Hochschulzusammenarbeit

Am 23.05. findet der deutschlandweite „Diversity Day“ des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes (DAAD) statt. Dort wird unter anderem die Erasmus+ Inklusionsstrategie der Nationalen Agentur für Erasmus+ Hochschulzusammenarbeit im DAAD veröffentlicht. In ihr finden sich umfassende Informationen zu „Inklusion und Vielfalt“ und zu den entsprechenden Möglichkeiten im Erasmus+ Programm, sowie bereits umgesetzte und geplante Inklusionsmaßnahmen. Die Inklusionsstrategie ist hier abrufbar. 

Call for Demonstrating Against the Legal Regulations of the Psychotherapeutic Postgraduate Training

On 04 May, a demonstration will take place in front of the Federal Ministry of Health in Berlin under the theme of "Psychotherapy in Danger - Finance Postgraduate Training!". Protestors are demanding legal regulation for financing the new postgraduate training. Further information is available on this flyer.

Semester Program of the KKC-Bochum with Contributions by IPU Affiliates

In the summer semester that has just started, the Hans Kilian and Lotte Köhler Centrum Bochum is hosting hybrid events on topics at the cross road of cultural psychology, social science and historical anthropology. As a collaborative partner of the IPU, the KKC has also included contributions from IPU affiliates: On May 03, IPU professor Phil Langer will speak on researching the experiences of former IS child soldiers in Northern Iraq, on June 14, professor Gavin Sullivan will speak on recent approaches to collective emotion and identity, and on July 06, Aaron Lahl will take part in the symposium on “Restoring Masculinity(s) as a Component of Political Regression”.

Prof. Dr. Christine Kirchhoff zu Gast bei scobel
Für die nächste Folge von scobel ist IPU-Professorin Christine Kirchhoff als Gesprächspartnerin eingeladen. Die Folge dreht sich um die Frage, weshalb Menschen irrationale Entscheidungen treffen und warum mehr Wissen nicht zu rationaleren Entscheidungen führt. Ausgelotet werden die Grenzen der Vernunft am 23.02.2022 um 21 Uhr auf 3Sat und anschließend in der Mediathek.

Ehemaliger IPU-Präsident spricht über den Stand der Psychoanalyse
Wie es um die Psychoanalyse im 21. Jahrhundert steht, bespricht der ehemalige IPU-Präsident Martin Teising im philosophischen Radio des WDR. Es geht beispielsweise um den Umgang mit psychischen Leiden und Autonomie- und Bindungsbedürfnisse in der Gesellschaft. Was die Psychoanalyse als Therapie und Kulturtheorie zum Verständnis dessen beitragen kann, wird in dem einstündigen Gespräch im Austausch mit Hörer:innen und dem Moderator erkundet. Die Radiosendung ist in der Mediathek des WDR abrufbar.

Introduction to the Objective Hermeneutics of Photography was published

A recently published book by IPU lecturer Thomas Loer introduces the objective hermeneutic analysis of photographs. The book provides a structured introduction to the method and illustrates it based on Philip-Lorca diCorsia’s Streetwork, a political selfie and an Auschwitz photograph. Analyzing Photographs is part of the series Objective Hermeneutics in Science and Practice.

IPU-Professor:innen publizieren erste Ausgabe ihrer Zeitschrift für Psychotraumatologie
Mit dem Thema "leiden. benennen. zeigen." ist das erste Heft der Zeitschrift "Trauma Kultur Gesellschaft" im Psychosozial-Verlag erschienen. Herausgegeben wird die Zeitschrift unter anderem von den IPU-Professor:innen Annette Streeck-Fischer und Andreas Hamburger sowie dem IPU-Gastwissenschaftler Reinhold Görling. Als interdisziplinäre Zeitschrift für Psychotraumatologie verbindet sie die klinische Beschäftigung mit der Analyse gesellschaftlicher und geschichtlicher Zusammenhänge sowie des kulturellen Umgangs mit Traumatisierungen. Ein Kick-Off-Event ist für die Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2023 an der IPU geplant.

Neue Buchreihe von Prof. Dr. Bernd Ahrbeck 
IPU-Professor Bernd Ahrbeck gibt gemeinsam mit Prof. Karl-Heinz Dammer (Heidelberg), Prof. Marion Felder (Koblenz) und Prof. Anne Kirschner (Heidelberg) eine neue Buchreihe heraus. Die Reihe PÄDAGOGIK kontrovers widmet sich aktuellen erziehungswissenschaftlichen und bildungstheoretischen Fragestellungen. Ziel ist es, vor allem brisante Themen aufzugreifen, die anderenorts nur unzureichend behandelt werden. Der erste Band "Pädagogisches Neusprech: Zur Kritik aktueller Leitbegriffe" erscheint im Frühjahr 2023 im Kohlhammer Verlag.

Phil Langer Publishes Study on the Motivations of Jihad Returnees
A new study published by IPU professor Phil Langer together with Mika Josephine Moeller and Herbert Scheithauer deals with the analysis of unconscious motivational dynamics of three former jihadists who grew up in Germany. Using three case studies, the biographies of the three former Salafist terrorists are examined and interrogated for their latent significance. The study traces how the former jihadists themselves experienced their careers and which factors were of relevance for their respective (de)radicalization. The study is available in Open Access in English.

Beitrag der IPU zur Themenkampagne Führung plus X
Wie sieht die Arbeitswelt durch Kinderaugen aus? Als einer der sechs Projektpartner der Karl-Schlecht-Stiftung hat die IPU einen Beitrag zur Themenkampagne Führung plus X geleistet. Die Studierenden des Masterstudiengangs Leadership und Beratung haben hierfür einen Kurzfilm produziert, welcher sich unter dem Titel "Was macht ein Schef?" dem Oberthema "Führung und Leidenschaft" aus Kinderperspektive nähert. Der Beitrag wurde mit Unterstützung des Erich Fromm Study Centers erarbeitet.

Prof. Dr. Leonie Kampe was awarded the Wilhelm-Bitter-Research Prize

For her research on the central role of defense mechanisms in grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, IPU Junior Profesor Leonie Kampe was recently awarded the Wilhelm-Bitter-Research Prize 2022. The prize, which is awarded at the DGPT Research Conference, honors the work of young researchers in the field of psychoanalysis and depth psychology. The award-winning paper is available via Open Access. The IPU congratulates Ms. Kampe!

Thomas Loer Publishes Introduction to Objective Hermeneutics

In a recently published Handbook on the Methodology of Objective Hermeneutics, IPU lecturer Thomas Loer published some introductory articles. Taking into account the distinctive features of the material, he exemplifies objective-hermeneutic analysis by means of paintings, photographs and videos.

IPU professors publish new journal on trauma research
Starting in February 2023, an interdisciplinary journal on psychotraumatology, titled Trauma Kultur Gesellschaft [Trauma Culture Society] will be published quarterly. The journal will be edited by IPU professors Annette Streeck-Fischer and Andreas Hamburger, among others, as well as IPU guest researcher Reinhold Görling. The focus of the journal is on severe psychological injuries from which people may suffer for the rest of their lives. The subject here is not only the experiences of hurt people, but also possible treatment approaches as well as research on the social significance and the cultural handling of traumatization.

Phil Langer publishes anthology on stigmatized identity in old age
Together with Jochen Drewes and Daniel Schaarenberg, IPU professor Phil Langer edited the anthology Aging with Stigma. Using current research and practice findings, the special psychosocial needs of members of stigmatized groups in old age are highlighted. Alongside professors Dorothea von Haebler and Phil Langer as well as research fellow Aisha-Nusrat Ahmad, other members of the IPU are also represented with contributions. They deal with the specifics of schizophrenic psychoses in old age, aging with HIV and AIDS in Germany, and the socioeconomic situation of older migrants.

The semester begins with new junior and senior professorships
With the start of the new semester, IPU Berlin welcomes two new junior professors. As of October 2022, Dr. Leonie Kampe has been appointed junior professor of psychological diagnostics. At the faculty for theoretical psychoanalysis, subject- and cultural theory, Dr. Christian Sell was appointed junior professor. Both opened the semester with lectures. Additionally, Prof. Dr. Dr. Michael B. Buchholz and Prof. Dr. Susanne Lanwerd are back at the IPU, now as senior professors.

A Freud Quote Every Day
In the book 365x Freud Freud, 280 renowned representatives of international psychoanalysis and well-known personalities from literature, culture and philosophy comment on selected Freud quotes in a creative and personal way, providing insights into Freud’s writings and biography. IPU professors Bernd Ahrbeck, Michael B. Buchholz, Dorothea von Haebler, Andreas Hamburger, Christine Kirchhoff, Christiane Ludwig-Körner, Christiane Steinert, Lutz Wittmann as well as former IPU presidents Jürgen Körner and Ilka Quindeau contributed alongside Eva Illouz, Otto Kernberg and Jürgen Habermas. The book was published by Tobias Nolte and IPU lecturer Kai Rugenstein.

New anthology published by Martin Teising and Joachim Küchenhoff
Assisted suicide is the subject of a series of articles in this new anthology published by former IPU president Martin Teising and Joachim Küchenhoff. Central questions in the rekindled debate about assisted suicide are examined through, amongst others, psychoanalytical, cultural and legal perspectives. Martin  Teising, for example, traces back the genesis of the renewed debate , starting with a decision by the German Constitutional Court from February 2020. IPU professor Benigna Gerisch explores the relationship between assisted suicide and societal imperatives for perfection and optimization.

New book from Prof. Christiane Ludwig-Körner
A book by IPU professor Christiane Ludwig-Körner entitled Und sie fanden eine Heimat  [translation: And They Found a Home]was published recently. She depicts the lives and work of employees at the wartime children’s home founded by Anna Freud and Dorothy Burlingham. As young women, they narrowly escaped the Holocaust and provided homes for children who had befallen the same fate under the in so called “war nurseries.” By means of portraying the work in these children’s homes, one can come to understand the historical beginning of child psychoanalysis according to Anna Freud.

Paper on German politics in Ukraine by Uwe Grundhöfer and Dr. Thomas Loer
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, some politicians from the “Ampel” Coalition have made similar comments on possible sanctions, which raises the question of their understanding of politics. In the journal on hermeneutic social research “sozialer sinn”, Uwe Grundhöfer and IPU instructor Dr. Thomas Loer analyse these comments. In their paper, they discuss economic and political implications, especially in terms of what it means to stand in solidarity for democracy, freedom, and the right of self-determination in the face of the Russian war of aggression. You can find excerpts and more information hier, and the full text can be accessed through the publisher website.

Lecture Recording of Prof. Insa Härtel at the ICI Berlin
IPU professor Insa Härtel gave a lecture as part of the series “Psychoanalytic Cultural Studies” at the Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry (ICI) on the topic of how erection, erectile dysfunction, and Viagra are used within film. Her lecture, titled “’Penile Styles’: Figures of Impotence in Film” (translation), used film clips in order to question how enjoyment is portrayed and which cultural dynamics can be discerned from the material. Anyone interested can watch the video recording of the lecture and subsequent discussion on the ICI website (in German).

Phil Langer and Aisha-Nusrat Ahmad publish article about the Afghan Youth Project and the current situation in Afghanistan
The most recent issue of the Journal for the German armed forces, “Zur Sache BW”, about Afghanistan includes an article by IPU professor Phil Langer and IPU research fellow Aisha-Nusrat Ahmad. The article, titled “The Betrayed Generation” (translation), makes use of the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan as a reason to delve into empirical material that Langer and Ahmad worked on as part of the Afghan Youth project from 2015 to 2018. The case studies reflect biographies, wishes, and hardships of Afghan youth and speak of the hope of being able to bring about social change. Considering the current state of things, Langer and Ahmad conclude: “What is left is the betrayed generation – betrayed by their country’s political elite, the international community, the “West”, even by Germany.” (translation) You can read the article on page 14 here (in German).

IPU graduate publishes psychoanalytic study on the effects of the pandemic on one’s thinking skills
The recent psychoanalytic study from IPU graduate Florian Bossert is titled “Viraler Angriff auf fragile Subjekte” (translation: “Viral Attack on Fragile Subjects”), and has been published by Psychosozial. In this study, he investigates the effects of the pandemic reality on people’s ability to think. He develops the thesis that the initially external threat of the virus is increasingly becoming an uncanny psychic object. This process brings about archaic anxieties, reactivates defense mechanisms, and encourages conspiracy thinking.
Florian Bossert’s investigation developed out of his thesis work at the IPU, which was supervised by IPU’s Prof. Christine Kirchhoff and Samuel Bayer.

Global Phenomenon of Social Isolation and Loneliness Investigated in Upcoming Book
In recent years, isolation and loneliness have joined risk-factors such as smoking, obesity, and inactivity as leading worldwide causes of mortality, and the Covid-19 pandemic is only exacerbating the situation further. In their upcoming book published by Phoenix, From the Abyss of Loneliness to the Bliss of Solitude, IPU Berlin’s Aleksandar Dimitrijević and Michael B. Buchholz investigate the origins of loneliness and solitude and how they affect things such as creative expression and physical health. The book contains chapters focusing on psychoanalysis, psychology, philosophy, culture, art, and literature­ – some written by members of the IPU Berlin community. 

Silence within Psychoanalysis and Everyday Life: Recent Book by IPU’s Aleksandar Dimitrijević and Michael Buchholz
Within psychoanalysis, silence can be a form of resistance, countertransference, or a sign of trust. Silence also has a place in contexts outside of the therapy room such as music, theology, language, and culture. IPU Berlin’s Aleksandar Dimitrijević and Michael B. Buchholz recently published the book Silence and Silencing in Psychoanalysis: Cultural, Clinical, and Research Perspectives through Routledge, which serves as the first investigation into silence within psychoanalysis in decades. Based on an established body of work, this book uses case presentations as well as original clinical techniques and research to provide insights into the roles of silence in clinical practice as well as everyday life. For a 20% discount, purchase the book through Routledge with code FLR40.

Newly published introductory volume by Dr. Thomas Loer on objective hermeneutic analysis of interviews
In his recently published volume “Interviews analysieren. Eine Einführung am Beispiel von Forschungsgesprächen mit Hundehaltern” (translation: “Analysing interviews. An introduction through the example of research interviews with dog owners”) IPU instructor Dr. Thomas Loer introduces the objective hermeneutical analysis of interviews. The volume presents the basic constitutional theory and methodology and formulates a research plan. It addresses the question of case selection, the data’s form and its collection, the specific questions necessary for analyzing interviews, and the particular way to present results. You can read excerpts from the book here. This volume is part of the series by Dr. Thomas Loer entitled “Objective Hermeneutics in Theory and Practice” published by Springer VS.

Publication on Mental Health Problems during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Victims of Potentially Traumatic Experiences
A longitudinal study, including Dr. Lutz Wittmann of the IPU, shows the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on victims of violence, accidents, and serious threats. According to the study, the impact of the pandemic situation has hindered recovery from potentially traumatic experiences. In light of the results, the authors stress the absolute necessity of securing access to mental healthcare services during the pandemic. More information here.

Two Doctoral Scholarships available at the IPU
Every year, the Foundation for the Promotion of University Psychoanalysis grants scholarships to two IPU graduates for the purpose of pursuing doctoral degrees. The scholarships have been issued once again, and interested students can apply until 18 March 2022. You can find the announcement here. Additionally, you can find a guide to applying here.

Interview mit IPU-Professorin Insa Härtel zum Verhältnis von Psychoanalyse und Kulturwissenschaften
IPU-Professorin Insa Härtel wurde von "Neues Deutschland" zur Interdisziplinarität von Psychoanalyse und Kulturwissenschaften interviewt. Sie erklärt, warum die Psychoanalyse sich nicht nur für die Person auf der Couch interessiert und weshalb die Wechselbeziehung der beiden Disziplinen nicht frei von Reibungen und Reizungen ist. Gleichwohl können die beiden Perspektiven – wenn man sie zusammenbringt – das konflikthafte Verhältnis von Subjekt und Kultur analysierbar machen.

Current Research Project: Experiencing Identity in Times of Corona
As part of the research project “Experiencing Identity in Times of Corona”, project leaders Prof. Thomas Kühn and Prof. Phil Langer, and their associate Dr. Sebastian Bobeth, are collecting experiences and insights from the Coronavirus pandemic as well as its perceived effects on personal feelings and social relationships. The research is conducted in Germany, Austria, and Brazil. Research partners are doctoral candidates Daniela Alcoforando and Miriam Faridas from the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco.

Listen now: Lecture by Dr. Susanne Kaiser on political masculinity and antifeminist movements
Journalist Dr. Susanne Kaiser gave a lecture at the IPU during the 2021 summer semester on political masculinity. Her much-discussed 2020 Book released through Suhrkamp with the same title investigates how “Incels”, fundamentalists, and authoritarians mobilize misogyny and antifeminism, and thus foster an “authoritarian backlash”. In her lecture, which you can watch on our Youtube channel, Susanne Kaiser reflects on her book and addresses complex antifeminist movements from a sociological perspective.

Listen to the discussion about the seminar cycle on men, with Inge Seifge-Krenke, Matthias Franz and Lilli Gast
The IPU Berlin is offering a certified advanced education course on the topic “Fathers”, which will explore the father’s role in the context of societal change. In anticipation of the seminar cycle, IPU Professor and former university president Lilli Gast spoke with program leader Prof. Inge Seifge-Krenke and program instructor Prof. Matthias Franz. The conversation was recorded and you can watch it on Youtube.

Prof. Benigna Gerisch in the German World Service on fantasies of omnipotence in the digital age
In a podcast with the German World Service, IPU Professor Benigna Gerisch speaks about fantasies of omnipotence and the point at which social comparisons become harmful. The podcast was recorded during the DPV Autumn Conference from 10-13 November and can be heard here.

“WAHN.SINN” – Conference held by the Freiburg Council for Literature & Psychoanalysis
Freiburg im Breisgau’s biennial conference held by the Council for Literature & Psychoanalysis will take place on 21 & 22 January 2022. IPU’s Prof. Joachim Küchenhoff serves as the council supervisory board’s chair. During this year’s conference, psychoanalysts and literary scholars will discuss the psychotic experience, its associated borderline experiences, its thinking, and its speech. In equal measure, the conference’s events will address psychoanalytic perspectives of the psychotic phenomenon as well as literary approaches to and understanding of the same. You can find more information on the conference (in German) here.

Paternalism and Autonomy – Discussion with IPU Professor Andreas Hamburger, Nathalie Weidenfeld and Julian Nida-Rümelin
On 22.10.2021, IPU’s Prof. Andreas Hamburger, cultural scientist Nathalie Weidenfeld and philosopher Julian Nida-Rümelin spoke in the Munich Literaturhaus on the relationship between paternalism and autonomy. The conversation addressed the paternalism problem that has existed since antiquity from the perspectives of philosophy, film studies, and psychoanalysis and brought it into the context of societal development in today’s world. You can watch the video recording of the event (in German) on Youtube.

IPU professor Gavin Sullivan publishes article on the role of affect in political reactionism in England
Gavin Sulivan's article Political Reactionism as Affective Practice: UKIP Supporters and Non-Voters in Pre-Brexit England has been published by the open-access publisher Cogitatio Press. The publicly available article can be read and downloaded here.

Two Articles on Evidence for Psychodynamic Treatment in Children and Adolescents
The current edition of the journal Practicing Child Psychology and Psychiatry, includes two essays from IPU professors. Annette Streek-Fischer is one of the authors of the work Evidence for Psychoanalytically Based Methods for Children and Adolescents (translation). This study used an evaluation to show that there is sufficient evidence in the most relevant areas of upbringing for the use of psychoanalytically based methods with children and adolescents. Likewise, Annette Streeck-Fischer’s and IPU Professor Lars Kuchinke’s work is presented in the article In-Patient Psychodynamic Therapy with Children and Adolescents with Complex ADHD: Results from a Naturalistic Clinical Study (translation). This work makes it clear how complex the clinical picture of ADHD can be and shows how effective a psychodynamic approach is in treating it.  

Anthology “Lost in Perfection” published, edited by Prof. Benigna Gerisch
The collection "Lost in Perfection. On Optimizing Society and the Psyche" (translation), edited by IPU’s Prof. Benigna Gerisch, Vera King, and Hartmut Rosa, has been published by the Suhrkamp publishing house. Through their contributions, the various authors address the current significant guiding principles of self-optimization and self-improvement and analyze the ramifications of these on work, family, relationships, body, and self. The collection especially asks the question: Which cultural ideas of pathology and normalcy are linked to this societal development? Essays from (among others) Heinz Bude, Ulrich Bröckling, Ève Chiapello, Alain Ehrenberg and Judy Wajcman.

Article by Insa Härtel on the staged disposal of history by means of a stuffed animal
The current edition of the multidisciplinary journal “denkste: puppe (de:do)” with the theme of “dolls as relatives of the soul – biographical traces of dolls in art, literature, written works, and illustration,” includes a discussion by IPU Professor Insa Härtel. In her article “Take out the trash of the past? A stuffed animal named Checkpoint Charlie in Hoarder TV” (translation), Insa Härtel shows through example of a television show that political-historical dynamics of German history are even brought to attention there, where apparently material, tangible “soul relatives” form the central focus. You can read the article online here.

Psychosozial-Verlag has published two volumes by IPU founder Christa Rohde-Dachser
In “Spuren des Verlorenen” (translation: Traces of the Lost), Christa Rohde-Dachser adopts psychoanalytic and sociological perspectives in exploring the ways in which people forever attempt to compensate for the loss of the early mother-child dyad and the resulting feeling of deprivation. Clinical presentations like borderline personality disorder or hysteria can be explained through this lens. The same is true for handling gender differences, which can involve gender-specific characteristics.

In her second work, “Was sich verändert und was bleibt” (translation: What changes and what remains), Christa Rohde-Dachser turns to the fundamental questions of human existence, which relate to the experiences of transience, the desire for immortality, and life in the current moment. She approaches these matters through psychoanalytic and societal reflections as well as film analysis. Her independent research indicates that gender differences play a role even in associated unconscious fantasies.

Large inclusion study led by Bernd Arbeck published
longitudinal study commissioned by the Berlin Senate “Anfangserfahrungen mit der Entwicklung der Inklusiven Schulen in Berlin” (translation: Initial Experiences in the Development of Inklusive Schools in Berlin). AiBe is one of the most extensive national inclusion studies to be published by the Waxmann publishing house. IPU professor Bernd Ahrbeck is one of the study’s authors who investigated and evaluated schools’ endeavors to jointly educate children both with and without disabilities.

Conversation analysis by Michael Buchholz et al. published in journal Frontiers
IPU senior professor Michael Buchholz, Timo Buchholz and Barbara Wülfing published a research article titled Doing Contrariness, which is a conversation analysis of the talk-in-interaction in a single therapy session with a traumatized child. The article is a part of the Talking and cure research topic, Michael Buchholz and Anssi Peräkylä have published as an anthology in the open access scientific journal Frontiers.

“Community and Nation” – Special Issue of Journal Sozialer Sinn (Social Sense)
The current release of the journal Sozialer Sinn is a special issue on the topic “Community and Nation”, and was released by IPU professor Thomas Kühn, Katrin Voigt, and Frank Schumann. The papers in this issue originate from the interdisciplinary conference “Notions of Community and Nation in the Context of Current Right-Wing Mobilization”, which took place on 28 & 29 February 2020 at IPU.

New Anthology published by Michael Buchholz and Aleksandar Dimitrijević
The anthology, “Silence and Silencing in Psychoanalysis”, edited by IPU senior professor Michael Buchholz and IPU research associate Aleksandar Dimitrijević, was recently published by Routledge. The book approaches silence and silencing in psychoanalysis from multiple perspectives: the clinical and research perspectives, as well as philosophy, theology, linguistics and musicology.

IPU students release article in the journal psychosozial (psychosocial)
The current issue of the journal psychosozial, which addresses the topic of violence, was released by IPU senior professor Michael Buchholz. Among the articles is a microanalysis of violent situations such as the G20 summit in Hamburg. Over ten articles were written by IPU students in the English master’s program.

Listen to Joachim Küchenhoff’s Lecture in “Crisis Teaches Thinking” online
The lecture Joachim Küchenhoff held on 28 May, titled “The State of Emergency and the Individual – Insights in and with the pandemic,” took place within the lecture series “Crisis Teaches Thinking” and can now be found on Youtube. His thesis suggests that a state of emergency does not only result from a catastrophe, but also uncovers conflicts in the preceding societal situation. Among others topics, his lecture addresses how humans handle emergency situations. This is portrayed through experiences told to him during psychotherapy sessions. Joachim Küchenhoff is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in Basel and also the chair of IPU Berlin’s Board of Directors.

Insa Härtel investigates film appropriation in the name of the pandemic
In the current issue of the online magazine nach dem film (after the film), IPU professor Insa Härtel addresses pandemic-related film appropriation. In the article, she looks into a clip, that is going around social media, in which scenes from the time-travel classic Back to the Future are brought together with coronavirus protective measures.