European Regional Meeting, Amsterdam 2017

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On the other side: Identity and Identification in Europe in crisis

17-19 March 2017
Amsterdam

Program Brochure | Thank-you letter

INTRODUCTION TO THE THEME

European identity is in crisis. At its core is the freedom of movement for homeland and workplace. Yet the refugee crisis has increased the pace of prejudice against existing foreign workers and their communities.
Europe numbers these days more than ever before in modern history, many hopeless people and refugees who are on the move across all borders into and through its countries. Fleeing for anxiety and to escape
from war and uproar in their homeland, they try to find a new safe place, where they want to integrate and be part of society in neighborhoods, with a recreated identity, bringing in their own cultural, social and religious habits and beliefs. They seek a place where they can work, study, raise their children safely and contribute to the economic growth of the new country. Whether if they are allowed to stay permanently or not, the political, social, religious and socio-economic effects and impact of this noticeable historical development on countries, between countries, and within local societies is immense.

We will offer you an interactive program to reflect on these events to get a better understanding of the minds and behavior of the people “on other side”. Besides that you will be offered a chance to work on our psychoanalytical contribution to the society, companies, government organizations, politics, religious institutions and how to deal with these people on-the-move from different interdependent perspectives:
cultural, organizational, individual and through leadership. Apart from our professional roles, what is the impact for each human being? How does one relate to the other, with whom/ what do you identify with?
What does it mean in terms of one’s behaviour; having to deal with the anxiety of change and fear of the unknown?

* The European Regional Meeting, Amsterdam 2017 is warmly supported by RINO and University Utrecht / School of Governance - Executive Programme Coaching and Consulting in Context

PROGRAM

Friday 17 March: (EYE-film museum)
16.00: Registration, coffee / tea
17.00 – 17.15: Welcome Susanna Hietbrink member of ISPSO and AVCCC
Opening Richard Morgan Jones (ISPSO, chair LARA), Marcel de Groen (chair AVCCC)
17.15 – 17.30: Introduction to the theme, further detail program and logistics (Marcel de Groen, chair ERM)
17.30 – 18.15: Marli Huijer, key-note speaker
18.15 – 18.30: Dialogue with Marli Huijer
18.30 – 19.30: Reception, bubbles , drinks and small bites

Saturday 18 March: (RINO)
08.30 – 09.30: Social Dreaming
09.30 – 10.00: Break and light breakfast
10.00 – 10.15: Opening of the day
10.15 – 11.00: Marc de Kesel, key-note speaker
11.00 – 11.15: Dialogue with Marc de Kesel
11 .15– 11.30: Break (coffee, tea)
11.30 – 13.00: Parallel workshops I
13.00 – 14.00: Break / lunch
14.00 – 15.30: Parallel workshops II
15.30 – 16.00: Break (coffee, tea)
16.00 – 17.00: Closing reflection (plenary)
17.00 – 17.30: Break
17.30: Gathering for the social event at the hall of the RINO
17.40: Start social event: boattrip through the canals of Amsterdam to
19.00: RIVA, restaurant for diner
± 22.00: Return to Leidseplein (escorted by feet or on your own)

Sunday 19 March: (RINO)
08.30 – 09.30: Social Dreaming
09.30 – 10.00: Break and light breakfast
10.00 – 11.30: Workshops findings
11.30 – 12.30: Closing reflection
12.30 – 12.45: Closing ERM
12.45 – 13.00: Lunch and farewell

Keynote Friday Marli Huijer
Prof.dr. Marli Huijer is the first woman to become Thinker Laureate, the Country as leading philosopher. In addition, she is a professor by special appointment in public philosophy at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Educated as philosopher and medical doctor, Huijer is using her honorary function as the “Denker des Vaderlands” to focus on public area as “interstitial spaces” so that the voices of others who are generally less noticed can be heard clearly. Huijer’s works include Ritme [Rhythm], Discipline [Discipline] and Achterblijven [Staying behind]. She appears regularly in the media and participates in public discussions.

Keynote Saturday Marc de Kesel.
Marc De Kesel (PhD in philosophy) is Scientific Secretary and Senior Researcher at the Titus Brandsma Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen (The Netherlands). He is doing philosophical research in fields such as Theory of Religion and Mysticism, Holocaust Reception, Freudo-Lacanian Theory. He published on the ethics of psychoanalysis (Eros & Ethics, Albany, 2009), on the critical core of monotheism (Goden breken [Breaking Gods], Amsterdam, 2010), on the logic of gift-giving (Niets dan liefde [Nothing but Love], Amsterdam, 2012) , on Holocaust reception (Auschwitz mon amour, Amsterdam, 2012), and on Slavoj Zizek (Zizek, Amsterdam, 2012).

In his Keynote, Marc de Kesel will explore, the theme Identity: Modernity's real Myth.
Without ID, one is nobody in modern society. In our multicultural globalized world, one is supposed to have a clear identity. Yet, precisely ‘identity’ is for many a highly problematic thing, on the individual as well as on the political level. Is that the reason why psychotherapy flourishes? And why religious, cultural or sexual identity is such a hot issue in current politics? Why ‘identity’ has become such a problem? What is the historical and philosophical background of today’s struggle with ‘identity’? And in what sense is ‘identity’ the very ‘symptom’ of modernity? Such are the questions Marc De Kesel’s lecture will reflect upon.