What is the Psychology of nations?

“ The individual is going to be universalized , the universe is going to be individualized, and thus from both directions the whole is going to be enriched ”

Jan Smuts

“ The life of a nation merely repeats, on a larger scale, the life of their component cells, and he who is incapable of understanding the mystery, the reaction, the laws that determine the movement of the individual, can never hope to say anything worth listening to about the struggles of nations ”

Marcel Proust

The Psychology of Nations

Offers a new perspective, a holistic model that views the individual as being intricately interwoven with a group and a national collective. The collective of a group or nation, in turn is embedded in the psyche of humanity as a whole. Both, an individual’s psychological past and heritage and the nation’s past collective trauma are expressed in the present behavior of an individual and the nation. These determine the choices and actions of each: the individual and the nation. As a new approach, the Psychology of Nations is based on the “ Self” , the gravitational center and inner depth of the individual and the nation with its inherent intelligent potential . This potential manifests itself through the values of consciousness of joy, empowerment, choice , self reliance, which need to be awakened. Consciously activating and aligning with these values has a profound impact on individual, collective beliefs, attitudes and behavior. Living these values lead to dynamic constructive cooperation. The old limiting individual and and national patterns are no longer energized and new creative perspectives to the challenges facing us open and become accessible.

PON is a new contemporary way of perceiving the interrelation and embeddedness of the individual in the field of the nation, the nation in humanity as a whole. Understanding this interrelatedness of the individual with the nation, the nation with humanity as a whole and integrating the above mentioned values, allows for the individual and national dormant potential to be released organically into dynamic cooperation of individuals, groups, nations and thus create a different quality of life, both for the individual and for the nation as a whole. PON was explored, researched and developed as a new psychological field for the past 25 years by Dr. Margret Rueffler, as an organic outcome of in-depth international teaching and hands on projects in many different cultures and nations.

Areas of application

In-depth psychological assessment allows to recognize the build-up of ethnic and religious tensions often leading to collective trauma such as violence and war, as the results of deeply anchored unconscious beliefs, patterns, which are passed on from one generation to the next. Made conscious, the potential for violence and aggression surfaces, becomes visible and can be recognized. Working with in its early stages and calling upon the common values of the various parties involved, thus catalyzing the common potential and its inherent intelligence to perceive the present situation as a challenge, might lead to creative tension solving and cooperation.

An in-depth psychological assessment is a long-term preventative approach designed to recognize the true cause of collective patterns and dynamics which are at the root of the tension or violence provides tools for early psychological interventions. Such an assessment is done on location, providing psychological support to populations and organizations in areas of tension and crisis.

Introducing values into existing organizations, projects and programs: concept, designing and developing, actualizing new and existing projects and informing with the values of consciousness of joy, empowerment, choice, self reliance which generate a deeply transformative effect on everyone involved, project participants and organizers alike. These values inject a joyful quality to life and lead to assuming personal responsibility and creative cooperation.

Consulting and Supervision : of project directors, organizations, communities working with multi-cultural groups in pre-crisis and areas of tension

Action projects : As an pro-active preventative in a pre-crisis state, these projects actively support inter- and multi-ethnic dialogue. In post-trauma crisis, they attempt to address and release the collective trauma experienced. In tension situation they support the integration of the above mentioned values into community and projects. The participants and the community are invited to choose the scope, form, content and length of their project based on the community’s individual uniqueness and needs. In multi-ethnic groups the project theme is developed via consensus and the various stages are translated into action on location. To introduce the above mentioned values to the project and processes, leads to a dynamic change in as it promotes and allows for individual choice and encourages taking personal responsibility for co-operation and individual growth. Confidence and self-esteem deepens, individual choice becomes a viable option.

Teaching : international lectures on the Psychology of Nations Trainings : The Art of Initiating Peace www.pppi.net trainings and seminars

Publications: “The Dormant Potential of a Nation” Germany, A Psychopolitical Case Study, Rueffler M., 2004 PsychoPoltical Peace Press, Switzerland (German, Russian, Indonesian version available)
“Can Collective Violence be prevented?” Report and in-depth psychological assessment of the action project in Bali, Indonesia, 2000 – 2003, Rueffler. M., 2004, PsychoPolitical Peace Press, Switzerland
“Healing a Collective” report and in-depth assessment of the action project 1994 – 1998 in Bakuriani, Rep. Georgien, Rueffler M. 1988, PsychoPolitical Peace Press, Switzerland ( German, Russian, Georgian version available) www.pppi.net online store

Research : Birth, development and evolution of a nation
Psychodynamic structures of a nation
National “Self”, potential and national consciousness
Psychopolitics of a nation