Healing Cultural Divides: A Jungian Approach

Abstract

In a world torn by division and strife, solutions for bridging divides are lacking. This paper explores some basic Jungian ideas and how they can be applied to helping heal the divisions that exist in the multicultural world of the 21st century. Positioned in a “hermeneutics of hope” as evidenced in Jung’s work, it offers the reader valid reasons to hope for a better future. While understanding the origins and acknowledging the reality of the challenges presented by divisions between groups, this paper takes a “big picture” approach and is grounded in the context of a Hegelian view of history as dialectical progress. This paper uses depth psychological principles as pertinent to that progress. Recognizing that the road ahead is long and difficult, the authors suggest that greater understanding of these principles may lead to the increased recognition of our common humanity, revealing certain possibilities of achieving unity through diversity.