War through the lens of psychotherapy. Exploration of collective aggression and the unconscious
Authors
Baneviciute, Santa
Issue Date
2025.16.12
Degree
MA in Pscyhotherapy
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
Open Access
Abstract
This thesis explores war as a psychological and symbolic phenomenon, arguing that individual and collective unconscious processes play a central role in large-scale violence. Drawing on psychoanalytic, Jungian and neuropsychoanalytic theories, it examines how latent human aggression, archetypes, trauma, and group dynamics contribute to the allure and repetition of war. Concepts such as the death drive, shadow projection, and emotional contagion are used to understand how violence is ritualized. The thesis also highlights the role of early childhood experiences and cultural narratives in shaping destructive ideologies. Rather than offering a utopian solution, it advocates for psychologically informed peacebuilding through shadow integration, symbolic thinking, and therapeutic containment of collective trauma.