Collective shadows on the sociodrama stage

Abstract

Jung was not interested in exploring group dynamics within the many dimensions of concrete social reality that the authors claim also contributes to how we are formed as individuals in addition to psychical phenomena. Our interactions with these concrete and psychical phenomena have lingering effects on both the individual and the intersecting social worlds to which we are inured across the planet and through time. The authors argue that sociodrama facilitates the exploration of uncritically held ideological belief structures that are influenced by these interactions that can hinder our ability to bear responsibility for our transactions within any collective. The authors’ theoretical assumptions that support sociodramatic exploration within an academic conference environment are elaborated, including details about a diversity sociodramatic exploration the authors conducted during the International Association for Jungian Studies (IAJS) conference in Cape Town, South Africa in 2017. The article further includes a depiction and critique of this sociodramatic demonstration that occurred as an example of its applicability in conferences such as this one.