State of the Art in Psychohistory and Related Fields in Selected Countries of Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

The paper discusses current state of art in psychohistory and related areas of research in selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe. At first a general context of its introduction in the region is provided. Decades of an almost complete absence of psychoanalysis in academic milieu and in psychotherapy in this part of the region (resulting from a hostile attitude of communist regimes toward psychoanalytic ideas) is identified as major element impeding psychohistory’s progress there nowadays. The present situation in such countries as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Romania and Moldova is then described in a more detailed way. According to the authors substantial differences with regard to the position of psychohistory in them are noticeable, ranging from hostility and active fight with the discussed trend, through prevalent disregard and indifference to it, to various forms (and stages) of acceptance/assimilation into the mainstream research.