A ‘political turn’ had been fermenting in analytical psychology and Jungian analysis since the early 2000s. This became possible after the Jungian communities began to engage with Jung’s politics, specifically its problems with race, gender, class/elitism. Analysis and Activism (A&A) is the one outward manifestation of this ‘political turn’ within the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP). There have, of course, been others. For example, The San Francisco Jung Institute’s Bolinas Conference in 2000, as well as their Presidency Conferences, held every four years also since 2000, all represent aspects of this political turn in analytical psychology.

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Analysis and Activism is a loosely organized group of mostly Jungian-oriented psychoanalysts and scholars who are interested in the intersection of a psychoanalytic understanding of human nature as expressed in the political life and action of individuals and groups. Some are particularly interested in being politically active around issues of social/psychological relevance where human abuses and injuries are occurring. Most are psychosocial analytic therapists, many of whom are affiliated as analysts and candidates with local organizations and with IAAP. Many are also consultants, teachers, writers and researchers in universities and analytical training institutes. The group is international and its primary mode of communication has been via an internet listserv, and through the organization of conferences and online forums for interviews and talks.

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Analysis and Activism has a flat structure and no moderation.  The committee oversees all the activities, as well as its relationship with IAAP. The steering committee members are: Gustavo Beck, Stefano Carpani, Kathleen Kirgin, Tine Papič, Michał Stankiewicz, Manca Švara, Alex Sierck and Emma Wong. However, A&A is not an affiliated member of IAAP, although there is mutual influence, interaction and debate between the two. We believe that enhanced attention to collective and political issues of IAAP is attributable to the existence and work of A&A.

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In sum, Analysis and Activism has fostered a growing recognition among Jungians (although later than other groups of therapists) of the potential for clinically-based depth psychologies and analytic to be brought to bear on understanding and addressing political problems and struggles.