Dr Stefano Carpani is an Italian Jungian psychoanalyst, lecturer at the C.G. Jung Institute Zürich, and scientific consultant at Pacifica Graduate Institute. At 46, he has emerged as a leading voice amongst a new generation of Jungian thinkers, bridging depth psychology with sociology, critical theory, and contemporary political questions.
In this conversation, Stefano and I explore the landscape of contemporary Jungian thought, beginning with his distinction between Jungian, post-Jungian, and neo-Jungian approaches—where neo-Jungians like himself aim to make analytical psychology relevant to 21st-century crises beyond the consulting room. We discuss his I+I theory, which synthesises Jung's individuation with sociologist Ulrich Beck's individualization, arguing that contemporary identity formation requires both psychological and sociological lenses to understand. Stefano shares insights from his award-winning work on the fall of the Berlin Wall, explaining how the numinous—an autonomous psychic force Jung described—operates in collective historical transformation, suggesting that major shifts require not just political will but adequate psychic conditions and "the attraction of the symbol." We explore the concept of enantiodromia, Jung's idea that psychological and cultural movements tend to revert to their opposites when pushed too far, applying this to contemporary political polarisation and populism. Throughout, Stefano makes a compelling case for why Jungian analysts must engage courageously with war, democracy, and social transformation, bringing depth psychology out of the clinic and into public discourse.
🔗 Links
- For Jungian monthly talks organised by Stefano: https://www.instagram.com/jungianeum_/ and https://www.youtube.com/@psychosocialwednesdays1944/videos
- Stefano's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHpWRYvgyhifcVkNGk9Tq-A
⏳ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:08 Stefano, the international Jungian
02:21 Jungians vs. Post-Jungians vs. Neo-Jungians
07:27 The Post-Jungians
10:15 The Neo-Jungians
12:50 Classical Jungians vs. Developmental vs. Archetypal
15:40 James's case for a Jungian textbook
20:01 The Jungian language barrier
23:20 The hindrance of jargon
27:11 Stefano's sociological Jungian work
31:49 Bringing the unconscious into everyday life
34:52 Covid through the lens of Jung
35:49 The fallacy of the end of history
38:05 The fall of the Berlin Wall as a numinous event
43:33 Moments of memetic infection
47:16 History makers as artists
49:42 Jungian lens on contemporary politics
50:53 Returning to memetic infection
58:24 What is enantiodromia?
01:00:12 Populism and energetic release
01:04:33 Stefano's guest recommendations
01:05:18 Where to find out more about Stefano
