European Psychohistory in Dialogue with American Traditions:
Development, Context, and Psychobiography

Conference Overview

In its effort to deepen and extend psychohistorical inquiry, the International Psychohistorical Association (IPhA) convenes a focused conference bringing forward European perspectives on the psychological foundations of history and society.

This event creates a space for examining how developmental, cultural, and historical contexts shape both individual lives and collective processes, and how these dimensions can be more fully integrated into psychohistorical work.

Conference Focus

The conference highlights key contributions emerging from European psychohistory, with particular attention to:

• the role of prenatal and early developmental experience in shaping psychological life
• the relationship between individual psychobiography and broader historical processes
• the influence of cultural and historical context on psychohistorical interpretation
• the implications of these perspectives for expanding the scope and method of psychohistory

Building on psychoanalytic insights that psychological life begins prior to birth, the conference invites a reconsideration of how early experience informs both personal history and collective dynamics.

At the same time, it recognizes that psychohistorical interpretation is shaped by context: European and American traditions emerge from different historical and cultural conditions, and their engagement opens new possibilities for the field.

Featured Presentations

Ludwig Janus, M.D.

Why Do We Need European Psychohistory and a Discussion on Prenatal Psychology Today?

Psychohistory seeks to understand the psychological dimensions of social and historical events. This requires an appreciation of the psychological aspects of personal history from its earliest beginnings. Psychoanalysis introduced the insight that psychological life does not begin at birth, but at the latest at conception.

Just as our understanding of individual history is shaped by its context, so too is our understanding of historical processes shaped by cultural and societal conditions. American and European psychohistorical perspectives therefore resonate with different historical experiences. The development of a European psychohistorical space allows this specificity to be articulated and examined within the field.

A Short Bio of the presenter:
Ludwig Janus, M.D., is a practicing psychoanalytic psychotherapist in Dossenheim (near Heidelberg) and head of the Institute for Prenatal Psychology and Medicine. He is a member of the Institute of Philosophy, Psychoanalysis and Cultural Sciences (IPPK), the Society for Bonding Analysis, and the German Society for Psychohistory and Political Psychology (GPPP). He has published extensively on prenatal and perinatal psychology and psychohistory.

Peter W. Petschauer, PhD

A Hint of the Future

This presentation addresses a central question: how can psychohistorical knowledge — particularly concerning childhood experience, leadership patterns, and social behavior — be made accessible to a broader public? A necessary step lies in developing sustained and meaningful cooperation among psychosocial organizations, allowing accumulated knowledge to extend beyond academic contexts and inform contemporary understanding.

A Short Bio of the presenter:
Peter W. Petschauer, PhD taught at Appalachian State University from 1968 to 2006, with a focus on European and Russian history and later women and children. He is currently a writer and poet, serves on arts-related and psychohistorical boards, and is the author of Faustina (2025) and over 250 publications.

Marc-André Cotton, MA

Sigmund Freud, Son of Amalia

This presentation offers a psychobiographical reconsideration of Freud, focusing on the imprint of early maternal relationships and trauma. It addresses a significant blind spot in traditional Freudian interpretation: the relative absence of sustained attention to mother–infant intimacy and its formative influence on theory.

A Short Bio of the presenter:
Marc-André Cotton, MA, is an independent psychohistorical researcher and founder of Regard conscient, a French-language platform examining the consequences of everyday violence in childrearing. He has taught human sciences for over thirty-five years, lectures internationally, and conducts parenting workshops. He is the author of Au nom du père (2014).

Moderator

Juhani Ihanus, PhD

Juhani Ihanus is Associate Professor of Psychology and Cultural Psychology at the University of Helsinki, with additional appointments in the history of science and ideas and in art psychology. A pioneer of biblio/poetry therapy in Europe, he has authored over 500 publications across psychology, psychohistory, literature, and the arts, and serves on multiple editorial boards, including The Journal of Psychohistory and Clio’s Psyche.

Aim

This conference contributes to the ongoing development of psychohistory by foregrounding developmental, cultural, and psychobiographical perspectives within an international dialogue.

Please note that this event is free, but RSVP is required!

The Zoom link will be provided right after you fill out the short form below. The Zoom reminder will be emailed to you the day before the event. Please make sure to use the email that does not have spam blockers and which you are checking often.

For questions or clarifications, please contact us via email at internationalpsychohistory@gmail.com, with the subject line “4-26-26 Conference related.”

We look forward to your contributions and participation in this exciting event!

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