The Association for Psychosocial Studies

Narcissism and Destructive Leadership
2017-06-16 09:30 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London SE11 5RR, London, London, SE11 5RR, United Kingdom
The idea that there are ‘narcissistic’ individuals who can wreak havoc when in positions of leadership and power has been receiving considerable public attention. Stories from political arenas, corporate boardrooms and public organisations tell of the damage done by particularly destructive individuals who gain positions of power.
Superficially at least, the fit between the clinical formulations of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and the behaviour of a number of prominent individuals seems strong. The seemingly overwhelming confidence in their own ability, the very grand sense of their own importance, alongside the disparagement, and aggression aimed at those who threaten their persona appears to fit well with the clinical accounts that emerged from psychoanalytic accounts of ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ some decades ago.
Of course, serious questions have been raised about the utility of such psychological concepts to understand what might be better understood as more complex sociopolitical phenomena. Should we also be thinking more about the attraction of such personalities, and the organisations and cultures that promote them? Perhaps we need further analysis of the sociocultural conditions that create or encourage such states of mind? It is now over 35 years since Christopher Lasch published his stinging indictment of ‘post industrial’ American society – Culture of Narcissism. How much relevance does that analysis of social conditions have today?
This seminar will examine the status and utility of conceptualisations of narcissistic personality disorder and narcissistic cultures.

PSYCHOSOCIAL CONNECTIONS: PRACTICE, POLICY AND RESEARCH
2014-12-16 - 2014-12-17 | Edinburgh
1st Annual Conference of the Association for Psychosocial Studies
16-17 December 2014
hosted by the Psychosocial Research Unit, University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR12HE
MORE INFORMATION and CALL FOR PAPERS TO FOLLOW
Abstract Submission deadline will be 1-07-2014

THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMAGINATION
2014-06-13 10:30 - 18:30 | Edinburgh
A symposium to celebrate the launch of
The Association for Psychosocial Studies
Friday 13 June 2014
10.30am – 6.30pm
at The British Library Conference Centre
St Pancras, London
with talks, responses and contributions
from a wide range of psychosocial thinkers, practitioners and researchers including:
John Adlam (NHS), Caroline Bainbridge (Roehampton), Karl Figlio (Essex), Stephen Frosh (Birkbeck), Paul Hoggett (UWE), Wendy Hollway (OU), Gail Lewis (Birkbeck), Sasha Roseneil (Birkbeck), Mike Rustin (UEL), Paul Stenner (OU), Valerie Walkerdine (Cardiff)
Chaired by:
Lynn Froggett (UCLAN), Liz Frost (UWE) & Tom Wengraf
Organised in collaboration with the
Social Sciences Department of the British Library
Limited places – registration essential.
Cost, including morning and afternoon tea & coffee, lunch and a celebratory wine reception with canapés:
Members: £40
Unwaged members: £25
Non-members: £70
Unwaged non-members: £35
To register, click here
