Center Events and Activities 
September 2005
Lisa Aronson presented "Siege of Beslan School #1. The impact upon children and families, the community, and psychological providers”, at forum sponspored by Center for Russian and East European Studies in Women and Gender, University of Virginia , September 23, 2005
Lisa Aronson presented “Siege of Beslan School #1: The impact upon children and families, the community, and psychological providers”, at Dept. of Psychiatric Medicine, Grand Rounds, University of Virginia , September 13, 2005
CSMHI Founder, Dr. Vamik Volkan, speaks on "Killing in the Name of Identity: A Study of Bloody Conflicts" at the Distinguished Psychiatrist Seminar Series at the Psychiatric Clinical Faculty Association Meeting in Los Angeles, California.
August 2005
CSMHI Director, Lisa Aronson, is a panelist at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association meetings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The topic of the panel is- Blind Patriotism: Theory and Research (blind patriotism fostering lethal collective violence).
CSMHI Director, Lisa Aronson, travels to Rostov on Don region in the Russian Federation to provide consultation to psychosocial workers, teachers, and paraprofessionals working with the traumatized Beslan, N. Ossetia community. This project is a continuation of previous CSMHI work with psychosocial providers from Union "Women of the Don" and coordinated work with the National Peace Foundation (Washington D.C.).
June 2005
The University of Kuopio in Finland conferred Professor Vamik Volkan an Honorary Doctorate at the 6th Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees by the University of Kuopio. Please see the following websites for complete information: http://www.uku.fi/promootio/english/, and http://www.uku.fi/yliopistolehti/teema4.shtml.
Professor Vamik Volkan was interviewed on The Morning Review, a program on KPFK radio, 90.7 FM, Los Angeles.
May 2005
On May 24, 2005, Lisa Aronson presented "Border Psychology: The Case of Cyprus" at the American Psychiatry Association meetings (Hellenic American Psychiatric Section), Atlanta, Georgia.
March 2005
Richard Arndt's (CSMHI Advisory Board member) book, THE FIRST RESORT OF KINGS: AMERICAN CULTURAL DIPLOMACY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, was recently published. In his book, Richard Arndt examines the first eight decades of formal US cultural diplomacy, from its tentative beginnings in World War I through
the 1990s. He compares America's efforts with those of other nations and enriches his narrative by detailing the professional experiences of men and women who have represented American democracy, education,intellect, art and literature to the rest of the world. He shows that the dialogue of American culture and education with the rest of the world is neither a frill nor a domestic political concern but the sturdy cornerstone of a positive, forward-looking US foreign policy. He argues that, as the Iraq War has shown, America would do well to revive its cultural diplomatic programs as a long term investment in international goodwill and understanding.
James A. Thomson , M.D., Assistant Director of CSMHI, presented "Love's Labors Lost: Are Depression and Suicidality Darwinian Adaptations" at Grand Rounds, School of Medicine, University of Virginia on March 29, 2005.
February 2005
On February 1, 2005, Lisa Aronson was interviewed by Martha Woodruff on "Reporter's Notebook" on: Reaching out to Tsunami affected children through drawings by American children. WMRA (NPR affiliate), Harrisonburg, Virginia.
January 2005
Eastern Mennonite University hosted representatives of Union “Women of the Don Region”, a regional partner of our collaborative project (“Understanding and Addressing the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood in Severely Stressed Societies”), to attend a training workshop, “Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience” (STAR). Following the STAR workshop, the director and lead psychologist of Union “Women of the Don Region” attended a workshop facilitated by Lisa Aronson, Paula Gutlove, Sarah Harder and Jeanne Smith (of the National Peace Foundation). Lisa Aronson provided consultation regarding mental health approaches to children, caretakers and families following the September 2004 terrorist attack on Beslan School #1 .
A US-based Research Network was established to develop the quantitative and qualitative research design of our collaborative project (CSMHI and IRSS), “Understanding and Addressing the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood in Severely Stressed Societies”. The Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Virginia awarded CSMHI a grant to support the first meeting of the Research Network, which took place in January 2005.
December 2004
On December 23, 2004 , Dr. Mitch Elliott , a psychoanalyst working in Dublin and Belfast and the director of the Irish Institute for Psycho-Social Studies, visited CSMHI and met with our interdisciplinary group as well as faculty and students at UVA to introduce us to “psychoanalytic sociology” as well as discuss Irish paramilitary organizations and societal PTSD.
November 2004
On November 2, 2004, Lisa Aronson presented "Severe Stress and the Impact on Teens: Insights into Adolescent Vulnerability" at the Medical Center Hour at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
J. Anderson Thomson presented "Killer Apes on American Airlines or How Religion Was the True Hijacker of September 11th," at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital Professional Association on November 5th in Philadelphia, PA.
Lyn Graybill presented “The Contribution of Religion to Post Conflict Reconciliation in Africa” at the 47th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association in New Orleans, LA held from November 11-13, 2004.
Hal Saunders served as faculty for the on-line course, "Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement," at the Fielding Graduate Institute.
Hal Saunders received an honorary Doctor of International Relations degree from Dickinson College.
Hal Saunders gave the keynote address at the "Track-two Diplomacy" conference at Tel Aviv University's Institute for Diplomacy and Regional Cooperation in Israel.
Margie Howell received her recertification as a mediator by the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Rico Ainslie received a University of Texas College of Education Professor Fellowship.
October 2004
CSMHI hosted a seminar "Unravelling Trauma: Perspectives of Psychoanalysts, Psychosocial Providers, and Tribunals" at UVA on October 23 & 24, 2004. Speakers and topics included:Ira Brenner on "Genocidal Persecution and Resilience"; Vamik Volkan on "Actualized Unconscious Fantasy and Therapeutic Play"; William Stuebner on "International Criminal Tribunals: Traumatized Witnesses and Staff"; and Lisa Aronson and Paula Gutlove on "Understanding Adolescent Vulnerability in Societies Under Severe Stress."

Seminar attendees and the public filled Minor Hall Auditorium at the University of Virginia for the second annual Volkan Lecture presented by Henri Parens, M.D. Dr. Parens presented, "Renewal Of Life - Healing From The Holocaust." He discussed his personal experience as an 11-year old, fleeing from the German army when they attacked and invaded Belgium, and then from a concentration camp after encouragement by his mother. He arrived in America with 49 other refugee children to start life anew and begin his recovery process. Lisa Aronson presented Dr. Parens with an engraved Jefferson cup at the end of the event.
Click here to see pictures from the seminar. 
On October 15th Lisa Aronson was the discussant of a presentation by Ian Russell, "Ireland on the Couch: An Applied Psychoanalysis of Ireland's Symbolic Vernacular" , at the Virginia Psychoanalytic Society in Richmond, VA.
J. Anderson Thomson presented "Killer Apes on American Airlines or How Religion Was the True Hijacker of September 11th," at the Jefferson Institute of Life Long Learning at UVa. on October 15th and for Eastern Mennonite University's program in Conflict Resolution on October 22nd.
Lisa Aronson and Paula Gutlove presented the outline of CSMHI's collaborative project on "Understanding and Addressing Adolescent Vulnerability: A Collaborative Research-Action Project For the North Caucasus" at the Alliance for International Conflict Prevention And Resolution's Annual Retreat on October 3rd in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
Hal Saunders led a workshop on "Sustained Dialogue" at the National Coalition for Deliberation and Dialogue's second annual national conference held in Denver, Colorado from October 23-26.
September 2004
The first showing of a documentary on Dr. Volkan's life by Christina Kronaus was held in Vienna, Austria.
June 2004
On June 28, Lisa Aronson presented, "Mental Health Intervention on Behalf of Victims of Natural Disasters" at "The First Annual Conference on Living with Terror: Psycho-Social Effects." The conference was sponsored by Universities of Haifa and Pennsylvania and was held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
On June 5, Lisa Aronson, in collaboration with Paula Gutlove of the Institute for Resource and Security Studies (IRSS), presented "Understanding Adolescent Vulnerability in Severely Stressed Societies" at an international conference in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, 'Prevention of Violence in Communities, Schools, and Other Institutions', sponsored by Foundation Together, Regional Centre for the Psychosocial Well-being of Children, Ljubljana, Slovenia. (click here for more information and to view photographs)
May 2004
CSMHI and the Institute for Resource and Security Studies (IRSS) were awarded a collaboration seed grant from the Alliance for International Conflict Prevention and Resolution (AICPR) to begin exploration of a collaborative project regarding adolescents in severely stressed societies.
April 2004
On April 15, 2004, J. Anderson Thomson, Jr., M.D. Associate Director of CSMHI presented "Terror, Tears, and Timelessness: Trauma and Traumatized Societies" as part of the "Encountering the Other" Spring 2004 Speakers Series sponsored by the Lorna Sundberg International Center at Garrett Hall, University of Virginia.
On April 9, 2004, CSMHI hosted Carlos Alvarez, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, Florida International University; Member, FIU's Program in Conflict Resolution and Consensus Building; Affiliate, Harvard University Program on International Conflict Analysis & Resolution; and Co-Author, Ethnic Identity: Understanding Contemporary Perspectives. He spoke on "Second Generation Cuban American Identity: The Impact of Diaspora on Identity" at Jefferson Hall, West Range, Hotel C, University of Virginia.
On April 1, 2004, Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., CSMHI Director presented "Impoverishment, Religion, Violence, and Community in Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero, Mexico" as part of the "Encountering the Other" Spring 2004 Speakers Series sponsored by the Lorna Sundberg International Center at Garrett Hall, University of Virginia.
March 2004
Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., CSMHI Director traveled to Mexico to research the circumstances in Tlapa de Comonfort, Guerrero and have an exchange with the human rights organization Tlachinollan. (click here to view photographs)
On March 24, 2004, Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., CSMHI Director presented "Palestinian Women Suicide Bombers" on the panel "Fanaticism: Issues of Definition, Changing Forms and Major Messages" sponsored by the Center for Critical Human Survival Issues at the University of Virginia.
On March 18, 2004 Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., CSMHI Director was a panelist for "Religion, Violence, and Peace: Untapped Resources for Conflict Resolution Between Israelis and Palestinians" sponsored by the Middle East Studies Program, the Jewish Studies Program and CSMHI, all of the University of Virginia.
Harold Saunders, Ph.D., member of the CSMHI Advisory Board received the "Common Ground Lifetime Achievement Award" on March 18, 2004.
Lyn Graybill, Ph.D. presented "Restorative Justice: Examples from South Africa, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone" at the 2004 Annual meeting of the International Studies Association in Montreal, Canada held from March 17-20, 2004.
February 2004
Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., Director of CSMHI and Rafael Triana, Ph.D. of UVA's Elson Student Health Center discussed the film "Leolo" (1992) at the Virginia Psychoanalytic Society's 2004 film series: Obsession.
Vamik Volkan, M.D., Professor Emeritus at UVA's School of Medicine, founder of the Center for the Study of Mind and Human Interaction and current Erik Erikson Scholar at The Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, MA has been chosen by the American College of Psychoanalysts as the recipient of their 2004 "Best Teaching Award." The award banquet will be held in New York City on May 1, 2004.
J. Anderson (Andy) Thomson, Jr., Ph.D. presented "The Eye's Mind: A Neurobiology and Evolution of Empathy" at UVA's Psychiatry Grand Rounds on February 10, 2004.
January 2004
Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., Director of CSMHI, was a discussant for a presentation by Pam Sorenson, “When a Bough Breaks: Clinical Intervention With Neglected and Abused Children” at the Virginia Psychoanalytic Society, Richmond, Virginia on January 16, 2004.
Rico Ainslie received the Outstanding Contribution to Psychoanalytic Education Award from the American Psychoanalytic Association.
December 2003
Vamik Volkan, M.D., Professor Emeritus at UVA's School of Medicine, founder of the Center for the Study of Mind and Human Interaction and current Erik Erikson Scholar at The Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, MA, has been chosen to receive the Sigmund Freud Award given by the city of Vienna in collaboration with the World Council of Psychotherapy. This honor is recived for "outstanding contributions to psychotherapy worldwide". An international jury selects the winner. Others so honored have been psychoanalysts Daniel Stern, Helmut Thomae, and Paul Perin. In addition the award also has been received by Silvester N. Madu of Nigeria who has been a pioneer in bringing psychotherapy to Nigeria. Dr. Volkan will accept the award in Vienna on April 20, 2004.
November 2003
CSMHI hosted a seminar "Understanding Traumatized Societies" at UVA on
November 15 & 16, 2003. Speakers and topics were: Vamik Volkan on
"Large-Group Identity" and "Societal Regression, Leader-Follower Relationships";
Yuri Urbanovich on "Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma: the Case of Chechnya";
Lisa Aronson on "Societal Resilience" and "The Traumatized Family"; and
Gregory Saathoff on "The Role of Trauma in the Identity of Religious Extremist Groups".

Seminar attendees and the public filled to capacity the Rotunda Dome Room at the
University of Virginia for the inaugural Volkan Lecture presented by Leo Rangell, M.D.
Dr. Rangell presented, "Affects: In an Individual and a Nation". He discussed such
ideas as: Do countries react to anxiety with defense and pathological outcomes?
Do nations feel sad, or happy, or worried? Lisa Aronson presented Dr. Rangell and
Dr. Vamik Volkan with engraved Jefferson cups at the end of the event.
click here to listen to or view Dr. Rangell's talk in its entirety.

Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., Director of CSMHI, spoke on a panel entitled "International Health in Our Community: The Intersection of Gender and Culture in Caring for Global and Local Refugee Populations" as part of the WOMEN IN GLOBAL HEALTH symposium hosted by the UVA International Family Medicine Clinic on November 6, 2003 in the Rotunda Dome Room. Other speakers were: Fern Hauck, M.D., Director of the UVA International Family Medicine Clinic; Phillip Nieburg, M.D., Senior Advisor on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases at Project HOPE; Susan Otchere, R.N., Maternal Health Advisor at Save the Children; and moderated by: Richard Pearson, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Pathology, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health at UVA.
October 2003
Lisa Aronson, Ph.D.,CSMHI director presented "Surviving Trauma: Assessment and Treatment of Families following Trauma" as a panelist at the 50th Anniversary Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Miami Beach, Florida on October 16, 2003.
On October 9, 2003, Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., CSMHI director spoke at Pediatric Grand Rounds at the University of Virginia Health System on "Psychological Sequelae of Pediatric Invasive Procedures in a Pre-school Child: A Case Report."
August 2003
Lisa Aronson, Ph.D., CSMHI director participated in the Family Violence Symposium, National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime and Behavioral Science Unit, United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation on August 4, 2003 at the Landowne Resort and Conference Center in Leesburg, Va., presenting "The Child Witness of Spousal Femicide: Exposure to a Sudden Violent Event."
June 2003
Rebeen Pasha, a third-year student at the University of Virginia, co-founder of "Children of War" and a native of Sulemany, Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) gave a presentation at the Center on June 11, 2003 entitled, "Iraq: Ethnic Diversity, Religion and the Development of a Nation". He lived through the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, the Gulf War, the Iraqi Rebellion of 1991, and four Kurdish civil wars. Mr. Pasha left Kurdistan with his family in December 1996, came to the United States and received political asylum.
Maurice Apprey, Ph.D. presented "Creating Mental Spaces Across the Partition: Turkish and Greek Cypriot Adolescents in Dialogue" at the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA 2003) Annual Meeting on Boudaries in Istanbul, Turkey.
May 2003
Vamik Volkan, M.D. offered informal remarks at CSMHI on current developments in Cyprus, Turkish politics, Turkish-American relations, and ethnic tensions in Northern Iraq after returning from three months as a visiting professor at Ege University in Izmir, Turkey.
R. K. Ramazani, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Politics, University of Virginia gave a presentation on U.S. foreign policy in Iraq on May 21, 2003 at CSMHI. The following questions were discussed: Is U.S. policy relevant to the social and historical realities in Iraq?, Have the social and political dynamics of Iraq been observed or overlooked in the formulation of a U.S. - Iraq policy?, How is the policy that the U.S. formulated being received by the people of Iraq?
Lisa Aronson, Ph.D, Director of CSMHI announced the addition of Joyce Neu, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice to the Center's Advisory Board. Dr. Neu along with the IPJ, is currently engaged in peace building initiatives in Macedonia and Nepal and has recently conducted conflict resolution training for women in Burundi, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, and Uganda. Dr. Neu was previously with the Carter Center and in 2000 was a recipient of the National Peace Foundation's "Peacemaker/Peacebuilder Award". She is also an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the University of San Diego.
April 2003
Yuri Urbanovich, Senior Faculty Fellow, International Residential College and Adjunct Professor, Department of Politics, University of Virginia gave a presentation entitled, "Russian-American Relations: From the 'honeymoon' to anti-Americanism: How serious are the problems in this relationship?" at CSMHI on April 30, 2003.
CSMHI hosted a Conference on Community Resilience at McLeod Hall, U.Va. on Friday, April 11, 2003. Opening remarks were made by Ambassador W. Nathaniel Howell, Director of the Institute for Global Policy Research and CSMHI Advisory Board Member. Speakers were Mauice Cox, Associate Professor at the Architecture School, UVa and Mayor of Charlottesville and Ricardo Ainslie, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Cox's talk, Rebuilding Bayview, Virginia: Community Design as Catalyst for Social Change was complemented by a panel discussion with members of the Bayview Citizens for Social Justice. Dr. Ainslie's presented, The Murder of James Byrd as Community Trauma: Factors that Facilitated Jasper, Texas's Constructive Response. These case studies were followed by group discussion.
March 2003
CIAG held its Annual Conference on Communicating in Crisis at the Boar's Head Inn and U.Va., Charlottesville, VA on March 30 to April 1, 2003. Virginia Governor Mark Warner was a featured speaker. The Conference was hosted and led by CIAG's Executive Director, Gregory Saathoff, M.D.
Lisa Aronson gave a presentation entitled "Community Resilience" at the CIAG Annual Conference held in Charlottesville, VA on March 31, 2003.
Rafael Triana, Ph.D., LCSW, Psychoanalyst and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatric Medicine with the University of Virginia's School of Medicine, presented a talk entitled, "The Representational World of Combat in Vietnam Veterans" at CSMHI on March 5, 2003.
December 2002
Lisa Aronson presented "The Traumatized and Bereaved Child" at Psychiatry Grand Rounds, University of Virginia Health System.
Vamik Volkan wrote an article for the International Psychoanalytic Association newsletter, volume 11, "When groups conflict" that explores how his role began in international relations and as an expert on large groups in conflict.
November 2002
Lisa Aronson presented "Treatment of the Acutely Traumatized Child" at the Fall 2002 Scientific Conference:Dealing with Traumain Clinical Practice: Lessons Learned from Ground Zero; Sponsored by the Los Angeles Child Development Center, Los Angeles, California.
Lisa Aronson presented "The Traumatic State of Mind of the Child Subjected to Abduction and Molestation" at the Institute for Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy, University of Virginia.
October 2002
Vamik Volkan delivered the 22nd Edith Weigert Lecture at the Intercultural Center of Georgetown University. He presented "Islamic Revivalism and Violence", explaining the factors that allowed cults to grow into large groups displaying violent and regressive social functions. Dr. Volkan gave special emphasis to the selection of "chosen traumas" that allow groups to recruit others and to speak deeply to the wounded feelings of their followers.
May 2002
Vamik Volkan gave a workshop at the Gestelijke Gezondheidszorg Regio's-Hertogenbosch series on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Netherlands on May 30, 2002. His workshop was entitled"When Enemies Meet: Large-group Identity, Violence, and a Psychopolitical Approach for the Reduction of Tensions." In his presentation, Dr. Volkan focused on the intrapsychic world of victims of violence, and the phenomena in society occurring during and after violence. He also elaborated on the Center's "Tree Model" methodology for conducting psychopolitical dialogues between representatives of enemy groups.
From May 8-11, 2002 Vamik Volkan participated in the German Psychoanalytic Association Conference of the Alexander-Mitscherlich-Institut (Deutsche Psychoanalytische Vereinigung) in Leipzig, Germany. He presented a paper on "Ethnopsychoanalytic Aspects of the Human Identity."
April 2002
Vamik Volkan participated in the 30th Anniversary Conference of the World Organization and Public Education Corporation of the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis on April 27, 2002. The topic was "Trauma and Change: Psychoanalysis in a Time of Crisis." Dr. Volkan spoke about the relationship between religious fundamentalism and violence.
On April 8, 2002, from 4-5 p.m. in Wilson Hall Room 402, CSMHI sponsored a talk by Christopher Badcock, Ph.D., on the "Psychiatric Implications of Genetic Conflict." Dr. Badcock teaches evolution genetics and evolutionary psychology at the London School of Economics. He discussed the conflicts that arise when the expression of imprinted genes implies different costs and/or benefits for each parent. He also assessed how recent genetic insights cast new light on Freud's psychological findings and interpretations.
March 2002
Vamik Volkan, Greg Saathoff, and Kerry Leavitt traveled to Georgia March 8-13 to launch a collaborative research projecton gender issues, family violence, and child abuse in the Black and Caspian Sea region.
Greg Saathoff was quoted extensively in a March 7, 2002 article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on FBI profilers.
On March 3, 2002, Norman Itzkowitz led a seminar with the Princeton Association of New England in Boston on ethnic conflict.
Vamik Volkan gave the keynote address at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Institute on Violence and Survival Symposium on "Postwar Communities, Identity, and Belief." The Symposium was held February 28 - March 2, 2002 in Charlottesville.
February 2002
Greg Saathoff participated in a panel entitled "Biological Weapons: Threat and Response" at the Bioethics and Bioterrorism Conference jointly presented by the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Biomedical Ethics at the University of Virginia. The Conference took place at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on February 28, 2002.
Vamik Volkan participated in the Claremont Graduate University Thornton F. Bradshaw Seminar in the Humanities conference "Apologies: Mourning the Past and Ameliorating the Present" scheduled forFebruary 7-10, 2002. He delivered a paper on "Mourning, Linking Objects, and Monuments: When Does It Become Possible for a Society to Forgive Its Enemy?" as part of a panel on the Psychology of Reconciliation. Dr. Volkan also participated in the International Psychoanalytic Association's Conference in London from February 13-18 2002.
On February 3, 2002, Norman Itzkowitz led a seminar on terrorism for the Princeton Association of New England in Boston.
January 2002
Maurice Apprey taught a University Seminar for undergraduates on "Psychoanalysis, Repetition, and the Human Sciences" that focused on the individual, family, and large-group dynamics.
Yuri Urbanovich taught a University Seminar for undergraduates on "The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union," and an upper-division course on "Nationalism in World Affairs." Summer 2002, he led a group of UVa students on a six week study abroad experience at the Russian Academy of Liberal Arts in St. Petersburg. Students studied beginning Russian conversation, Russian culture, and post-Soviet Politics (taught by Dr. Urbanovich).
CSMHI sponsored a two-part evening discussion featuring presentations by Vamik Volkan, who presented a psychopolitical perspective on the events of September 11. The evenings addressed questions regarding religious fundamentalism, violence, and societal changes after trauma. The sessions took place on Tuesday, January 22, and Tuesday, January 29, in the Jordan Hall Conference Center Room 2ABC from 7-9 p.m. Two papersfrom the January 22 presentation are available on this website.
December 2001
From December 6 - 7, 2001, Vamik Volkan participated in the Dedicatory Conference for the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego. The theme of the conference was "Peacemaking with Justice: Policy for the 21st Century." Former President Jimmy Carter opened the meeting, and Dr. Volkan facilitated the Macedonia Working Group's presentation of successes and obstacles to peace in Macedonia.
On December 9, 2001, Norman Itzkowitz gave a lecture to the Community Congregationalist Church in Short Hills, New Jersey on "The Psychology of Ethnic Conflict."
November 2001
CSMHI hosted a forum entitled "In the Wake of September 11: Perspectives from the Republic of Georgia" on Friday, November 30, 2001, from 2-5 p.m. at the Jordan Hall Conference Center. Our distinguished speaker, Tedo Japaridze, Ambassador of Georgia to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, discussed Georgia's role in international relations and regional security, particularly after the events of September 11. Vamik Volkan, Yuri Urbanovich, Allen Lynch and Senior Counselor David Soumbadze of the Georgian Embassy all joined Ambassador Japaridze for an afternoon panel discussion.
Vamik Volkan presented two papers at the Annual Lucy Daniels Foundation conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The papers are entitled, "One Refugee Family's Story: Mourning and Creativity," and "Small Group Dialogues Between Representatives of Enemies."
Maurice Apprey presented a paper at the international conference, "At the End of the Battle," in Lima, Peru November 15-18, 2001.
Vamik Volkan and Gregory Saathoff will participate in the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry's (GAP) annual fall meeting.
Norman Itzkowitz gave a lecture to the Princeton Club of Main in Portland, Maine from November 1-4, 2002, on "Terror and Terrorists."
October 2001
Vamik Volkan visited Smith College's Kahn Liberal Arts Institute to speak on how religious beliefs, practices, and identity fit with his observational studies. He met with the fellows of the weekly Kahn Institute Colloquium and also gave a public talk.
CSMHI facilitators and delegations of Turks and Greeks met at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey from October 2-6, 2001 as part of CSMHI's Turkish-Greek Dialogue project.
September 2001
Vamik Volkanspoke in Magdeburg, Germany at a conference sponsored by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Psychoanalyse, Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Tiefenpsychologie (DGPT). The theme of the conference was "Violence and Civilization, Interpretations and Attempts of Explanation." The title of Dr. Volkan's presentation was "After Violence: The Internal World of a Refugee Family."
Vamik Volkan traveled to Izmir, Turkey to make presentations at meetings held at the University of Izmir, organized by colleague and CSMHI International Associate, Isil Vahip.
July 2001
Norman Itzkowitz was a lecturer on the Seabourn Legend as the ship cruised the Baltic Sea. His lectures focused on the work of CSMHI in Estonia, and how Estonia regained its independence.
June 2001
CSMHI was awarded a grant from the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) for a project entitled "Gender Issues and Family Violence: Public Awareness and Service to Victims," which will bring together Georgians, South Ossetians, and Turks to build on CSMHI's previous work in the Republic of Georgia (see Black and Caspian Sea Collaborative Research Program).
May 2001
"Identity, Mourning, and Psychopolitical Processes," a multidisciplinary, scientific conference in honor of Vamik Volkan and in appreciation of the work of CSMHI, took place May 25-26, 2001. The conference brought together psychoanalysts, psychologists, historians, former diplomats, and political scientists, and consisted of two days of scholarly presentations on a wide range of topics, from "Mourning and Trauma" to "Conflict Management." Colleagues of CSMHI faculty came from all over the U.S. as well as 4 foreign countries; the conference was also open to the general public.
Vamik Volkan presented a paper entitled "Persecution, War, and Adaption: A Psychoanalyst Working with Ethnic Groups in Conflict" at the Austrian Federal Academy of Public Administration in Vienna. At the conference: "Xenophobia and Racism: Psychoanalytical and Human Rights Aspects," he also gave workshops and participated in discussion.
April 2001
Vamik Volkan Presented "Writing a Psychobiography" at a colloquium in honor of Norman Itzkowitz, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University and CSMHI Advisory Board member.
Vamik Volkan and Gregory Saathoff were participants in the annual spring meeting of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) in White Plains, NY.
CSMHI's international scholar, Yuri Urbanovich, taught courses at the invitation of UVA's department of Government and Foreign Affairs. Courses were entitled, "Nationalism in World Affairs", "U.S.-Russian Relations", "Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics", and "Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union." He also was asked to direct the University's Russian House and join the International Residential College's leadership team.
March 2001
CSMHI trip to Georgia, March 8-19, 2001.
Vamik Volkan spoke at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD on March 30, 2001.
February 2001
CSMHI had the pleasure of hosting Swedish psychiatrist Dr. Birgitta Johansson in February 2001. Dr. Johansson traveled to the US with the specific purpose of visiting CSMHI in Charlottesville to learn more about our methodology and activities. She had met Vamik Volkan in December 2000 in Tirana, Albania and Skopje, Macedonia when he was serving as temporary consultant to the World Health Organization. On February 5, 2001 CSMHI convened a luncheon and discussion which included a slide presentation by Assistant Director J. Anderson Thomson followed by questions and discussion with Dr. Johansson, faculty, staff, advisory board members, and invited guests. Dr. Thomson's presentation was taped by UVA Newsmakers and aired on local television April 5-6, 2001.
From February 11 - 23, 2001 Vamik Volkan was a visiting professor at Harvard University Law School's Program on Negotiation. Harvard's longstanding conflict resolution program founded by Roger Fisher has a prestigious reputation, but their approach and CSMHI's have always been rather different. CSMHI takes into account the importance of psychological processes, especially hidden or unconscious ones. Appreciating the importance of CSMHI's work, PON wished to expose their fellows and faculty to this approach. Accordingly, Dr. Volkan gave numerous presentations including a conference for faculty from Harvard, MIT, and Tufts. He participated in several panels, conducted a symposium, and met with graduate students.
Faculty member Lyn Graybill presented "Ethical Considerations of Peacekeeping in Africa" at the International Studies Association in Chicago on February 24th.
January 2001
Center director Vamik Volkan discussed "Physician Emotional Reaction to Patient Death: Impact on Patient Care" with guest Robert Arnold at the University of Virginia Medical Hour, January 24th, Jordan Conference Center Auditorium, Charlottesville.
Faculty member Gregory Saathoff sat on a panel exploring "The Changing Role of Physicians During Times of Conflict" on Saturday, January 27th, as part of the 38th Annual Advisory Meeting of the University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association in Norfolk, Virginia. Assistant Director, J. Anderson Thomson sat on a panel at the same conference exploring "The History and Future of Ethnic and Global Conflict."
December 2000
Vamik Volkan visited Tirana, Albania and Skopje, Macedonia as a temporary consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) to present at two gatherings of clinicians and aid workers. On the way back to the U.S. from Macedonia, Dr. Volkan stopped in Bonn, Germany and joined faculty member Joseph Montville and other practitioners and scholars of international relations from many different countries for a major meeting on psychopolitical issues organized by the University of Bonn and sponsored by the German government. Both Volkan and Montville made presentations.
Year 2000
Yuri Urbanovich initiated a series of seminars in spring 2000 in collaboration with the Center for Russian and East European Studies and the Naval ROTC at the University of Virginia. This project, entitled "Political Identity, National Interests and Foreign Policy," focused on controversial issues of contemporary international politics that require a multidisciplinary approach for their analysis and comprehension. One such issue was: "NATO's intervention in the Balkans and Russia's decision to launch the war in Chechnya, in the context of American and Russian political identities." CSMHI and its partners invited experts from different departments of the University to take part in the project's three sessions, which took place in April and May 2000.
Faculty member Lyn Graybill was a Visiting Fellow at the U.S. Naval Academy, Center for the Study of Professional Ethics, 2000-2001.
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