First Annual C G Jung Lecture to celebrate the contribution of analytical psychology

A new lecture series organised by the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex will reflect on the influence of Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology across many disciplines.

The first lecture will take place on Thursday 23 March with the annual C G Jung Lecture celebrating the equal importance and contribution of Jung’s branch of psychology. The lecture takes its place alongside the already-established annual Freud Lecture.

‘The (ir)relevance of Jungian theories in academic contexts: Critical reflections’ will be delivered by Professor Renos Papadopoulos, Professor of Analytical Psychology and Director of the Centre for Trauma, Asylum and Refugees. His presentation will provide a historical overview of the tension between therapeutic and academic discourses and will argue for the value of examining the relevance of specific themes and ideas of the Jungian opus rather than ‘Jung’ in his entirety.

Twenty-eight years ago, Professor Papadopoulos was appointed to the first chair of Jungian Psychology at a British university. He is a practising Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist, and Jungian Psychoanalyst, who throughout his distinguished career has been involved in the training and supervision of specialists in these three spheres.

As a consultant to the United Nations and other organisations, he has been working with refugees, tortured persons, trafficked people, and other survivors of political violence and disasters in many countries. He lectures and offers specialist training internationally and his writings have appeared in 18 languages.

Professor Papadopoulos said: “It is truly humbling for me to have been invited to deliver the Inaugural lecture of this new series. It is a great honour for me, but it also reflects on the astonishing achievements of our Department in fruitfully engaging in serious academic explorations of various facets of psychoanalysis within the context of the realities of our lived experiences in our societies today.”

Professor Kevin Lu, Head of the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, said: “I am absolutely delighted that in recognition of his achievements both within Jungian, Post-Jungian Studies and beyond, Professor Renos Papadopoulos will deliver our Inaugural C. G. Jung Lecture at the University of Essex.

“The Lecture Series is devoted to exploring the myriad of ways in which Jungian ideas have been critically explored and expanded into diverse areas of interest and expertise. The series celebrates the multidisciplinary ethos of Jungian approaches and seeks to highlight the ground-breaking contributions colleagues have made to clinical practice and academic research.

“This annual event further re-asserts the department's place as a centre of excellence and destination of choice when it comes to thinking critically about analytical psychology, where colleagues and students alike can benefit from diverse and world-class specialisation.”

For more information on the lecture and to find out more about the speaker, follow this link.