scholarly journals Notes on the Technique of Psychoanalytic Infant Observation: A Group-Analytic Training Perspective

2001 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-266
Author(s):  
Gary Winship
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Illustrative Material ◽  
Analytic Training ◽  
Group Observation ◽  
Infant Observation

Recent developments in the field of psychoanalytic infant observation are considered as a basis for extending the dyadic focus of the technique to encompass a group orientated perspective. A provisional method of `group-as-a-whole infant observation' is presented using illustrative material and is accompanied by a contextualizing analysis. It is posited that group observation of infants and children may highlight group dynamics in unrefined forms and may therefore be a useful resource not only in the training of group practitioners but also as a way of deepening group and social theory.

scholarly journals Silencing and Oblivion of Psychological Trauma, Its Unconscious Aspects, and Their Impact on the Inflation of Vajrayāna. An Analysis of Cross-Group Dynamics and Recent Developments in Buddhist Groups Based on Qualitative Data

Religions ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anders
Keyword(s):  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Student Relationship ◽  
The Impact

The commercialization of Buddhist philosophy has led to decontextualization and indoctrinating issues across groups, as well as abuse and trauma in that context. Methodologically, from an interdisciplinary approach, based on the current situation in international Buddhist groups and citations of victims from the ongoing research, the psychological mechanisms of rationalizing and silencing trauma were analyzed. The results show how supposedly Buddhist terminology and concepts are used to rationalize and justify economic, psychological and physical abuse. This is discussed against the background of psychological mechanisms of silencing trauma and the impact of ignoring the unconscious in that particular context. Inadequate consideration regarding the teacher–student relationship, combined with an unreflective use of Tibetan honorary titles and distorted conceptualizations of methods, such as the constant merging prescribed in so-called 'guru yoga', resulted in giving up self-responsibility and enhanced dependency. These new concepts, commercialized as 'karma purification' and 'pure view', have served to rationalize and conceal abuse, as well as to isolate the victims. Therefore, we are facing societal challenges, in terms of providing health and economic care to the victims and implementing preventive measures. This use of language also impacts on scientific discourse and Vajrayāna itself, and will affect many future generations.

Current Perspectives in Social Theory. Supplement 1: Recent Developments in the Theory of Social Structure.

1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 280
Author(s):  
Heinz-Gunter Vester ◽  
J. David Knottnerus ◽  
Christopher Prendergast
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Recent Developments

scholarly journals Theorizing societalization across borders: Globality, transnationality, postcoloniality

2020 ◽  
pp. 001139212095211
Author(s):  
Anna Amelina ◽  
Manuela Boatcă ◽  
Gregor Bongaerts ◽  
Anja Weiß
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Border Studies ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
The Third ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Methodological Nationalism ◽  
Nation States ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Societal Changes ◽  
Micro Level

The editorial summarizes the main conceptual and epistemological challenges of theorizing on society across borders. Its particular aim is to initiate the dialogue between theories of society and cross-border studies that address global, transnational and postcolonial relations. In essence, this special issue addresses four interrelated concerns of studying societal processes across borders. The first of these concerns is prompted by a decades-old critique of methodological nationalism. The second concern addresses the question of how can ‘society’ and the boundaries of ‘societalization’ be conceptualized, if global, transnational and postcolonial processes straddle the boundaries of nation-states? The third concern relates to the fact that sociological ‘grand’ theories have been criticized for failing to analyze recent developments of societies on a meso- and micro-level. Fourthly, a conversation between social theory and cross-border studies is also challenged by epistemic inequalities. Therefore, theories of society should be able to take into account not only the ‘grand scale’ of societal contexts and societal changes but also the positionality of the theorizing subject within global asymmetries of power.

Research Policy and Review 9. A Space for Place (or a Place for Space) in British Psephology: A Review of Recent Writings with Especial Reference to the General Election of 1983

1986 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 573-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
R J Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Political Culture ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Review Article ◽  
General Election ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Fully Integrated ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Voting Decisions

In most psephological writings in Britain only scant regard is paid to the role of place as a context in which political attitudes are learned and voting decisions are made. As a result, it is implied that Britain has a spatially uniform political culture, one that is not in line with the ‘facts’. In this review article the development of that attitude is traced and linked to the reliance on survey data. Works on the 1983 General Election are reviewed to show how the influence of place is far from fully integrated with most explanatory accounts. It is necessary, it is argued, for British psephologists to become aware of recent developments in social theory and the attempts to produce a holistic social science in which place has a central position.

Medium as a basic concept of sociology: contributions from systems theory

2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domenico Tosini
Keyword(s):  
General Theory ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Basic Concept ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Sociological Analysis ◽  
Recent Developments

The main purpose of this article is to present the fundamental concepts of a theory of social systems, with special reference to the concepts of medium and form, and their application in sociology. By challenging the indifference and opposition shown by most contemporary sociologists to the ontological and theoretical questions of social theory (e.g. in the case of micro-sociologists’ aversion to Parsons), systems theory has, from the beginning, represented an attempt at an analysis focusing on the fundamental concepts (and on their coherent relations) of a general theory of society. Ignoring the elaboration of these concepts may be tantamount to reducing sociology to countless collections of facts of a limited informative value. Indeed, only an adequate conceptual framework will suffice. Certain recent developments in systems theory offer useful tools. Some of these developments are illustrated in this article, which marshals a network of concepts, each dealing with specific aspects relating to sociological analysis.

Contempt – Where the modularity of the mind meets the modularity of the brain?

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo Bzdok ◽  
Leonhard Schilbach
Keyword(s):  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Social Neuroscience ◽  
Personality Structure ◽  
Basic Emotions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Unique Aspect ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Mind ◽  
The Brain

Abstract“Contempt” is proposed to be a unique aspect of human nature, yet a non-natural kind. Its psychological construct is framed as a sentiment emerging from a stratification of diverse basic emotions and dispositional attitudes. Accordingly, “contempt” might transcend traditional conceptual levels in social psychology, including experience and recognition of emotion, dyadic and group dynamics, context-conditioned attitudes, time-enduring personality structure, and morality. This strikes us as a modern psychological account of a high-level, social-affective cognitive facet that joins forces with recent developments in the social neuroscience by drawing psychological conclusions from brain biology.

scholarly journals Social structures, power and resistance in monist sociology: (New) materialist insights

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick J Fox ◽  
Pam Alldred
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Power And Resistance ◽  
New Materialisms ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Recent Developments

Though mainstream sociological theory has been founded within dualisms such as structure/agency, nature/culture, and mind/matter, a thread within sociology dating back to Spencer and Tarde favoured a monist ontology that cut across such dualistic categories. This thread has been reinvigorated by recent developments in social theory, including the new materialisms, posthumanism and affect theories. Here we assess what a monist or ‘flat’ ontology means for sociological understanding of key concepts such as structures and systems, power and resistance. We examine two monistic sociologies: Bruno Latour’s ‘sociology of associations’ and DeLanda’s ontology of assemblages. Understandings of social processes in terms of structures, systems or mechanisms are replaced with a focus upon the micropolitics of events and interactions. Power is a flux of forces or ‘affects’ fully immanent within events, while resistance is similarly an affective flow in events producing micropolitical effects contrary to power or control.

scholarly journals Cała władza w ręce rad? O formach demokratycznej kontroli nad wytwarzaniem kultury

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-40
Author(s):  
Jan Sowa
Keyword(s):  
Social Theory ◽  
Cultural Production ◽  
Third Sector ◽  
Cultural Institutions ◽  
Institutional Form ◽  
The Third ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Entire Society ◽  
The Third Sector ◽  
Theoretical Analyses

The text deals with various manners of institutionalization in the field of “independent culture”. Referring to research undertaken both in Poland and abroad, the author criticizes the NGO model, indicating the commercialization and governamentalization of the third sector. As a result, NGO cultural institutions lose their independence, becoming just new tools for making profits or doing state politics. The professionalisation of the NGOs renders them similar to the first or second sectors and makes it impossible for them to act as incubators of social capital for which they have been praised in social theory from de Tocqueville to Putnam. The author believes these recent developments create dangers not only for independent culture itself, but for the entire society. As an academic (but also an experienced activist in the field of cultural production), the author tries to sketch a possible alternative. He puts forward a thesis that the most important thing to consider is the institutional form of cultural production. He believes reforms should be undertaken in the direction of strengthening the autonomy and self-governance of cultural institutions by their democratization. Referring to both theoretical analyses and practical examples, the author presents a model of participatory democracy as a possible solution for the commercialization and governamentalization of the third sector.

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