Research News/Updates and Events
The IPA’s “NEW SCIENTIFIC INITIATIVES”
Members may have noticed in an email to IPA Members in April, the announcement of “The New Scientific Initiatives”. This major project was initiated by IPA President, Professor Charles Hanly, as an attempt to address the multiplicity of “schools” and “traditions” which characterise our profession. Hanly, through the IPA Board, has established two major “Project Committees”: one titled “Project Committee for Conceptual Integration” is chaired by Werner Bohleber (Germany); and the other is titled “Project Committee for Clinical Observation” and is chaired by Marina Altmann (Argentina).
The first (Conceptual Integration) is charged with developing a rationale and methodology for the establishment of “Working Groups” of IPA Colleagues who will ‘volunteer’ to work on this Project in an endeavour to bring some ‘scientifically-oriented thinking’ to bear on the diverse theories which have developed since the early efforts of Freud. The intention is to distil an essence of ‘common ground’ underlying the many theories – and perhaps to demonstrate incompatibilities which can be ‘tested’ against one another for validity.
The second (Clinical Observation) will address what constitutes ‘observable clinical facts’ upon which our clinical work relies. The Project Committee is preparing papers which may serve as a guide for this Project.
Each of the Project Committees are to present Panels at the Mexico Congress to introduce the respective methodologies to IPA Members – and to invite participation in developing the work of the Project.
I have been asked to ‘manage’ the special IPA Website pages devoted to the announcement and progressive development of the Project. You will have received the link to these pages in the IPA email to Members:
(http://www.ipa.org.uk/Public/SubMenu.php?ID=6751&fromos=true&cache=refresh).
After the Mexico Congress, I will hope to have more details on how to participate in the Project and will hopefully present these at our own APAS Conference in Melbourne (if time permits).
In any case, I urge members to consider participating in this effort to introduce some scientifically based discipline into our thinking about the theories which guide our clinical work. I am mindful that not all of our members agree that psychoanalysis can be ‘subjected’ to the kind of processes that are inherent in conducting the “New Scientific Initiatives” – but I am hopeful that many of you may be interested in participating once the proposed methodology is more clearly outlined, and in joining the “Work Groups” to discuss the issues involved.
I have been asked to act as “co-ordinator” for the development of Work Groups throughout the IPA’s three Regions and hope that we can establish a “Work Group” (or some groups) here in the APAS.
Ron Spielman
