Consciousness and subjectification in the face of climate catastrophe

The project is situated in the field of psychoanalytic social psychology and investigates forms of consciousness and subjectification that have an effect on current reactions to the climate crisis. Central to the project is the assumption that reactionary denial of the ecological crisis and individualised sustainability practices both have a conformist function as far as they affirm the existing societal conditions. In particular, the study examines the relation between the dominant exploitation of outer nature (human beings & environment) and inner nature (body & psyche) and how it is manifested in psycho-social dynamics. The empirical investigation is based on a depth-hermeneutical analysis of group discussions and interviews with individuals who relate explicitly to their bodies through sporting activities. The objective is to gain insights into the twofold relation to nature as well as the preconditions and obstructions of the socio-ecological transformation.