Series: Connections and Conversation
Connections and Conversation created and hosted by Shir Shanun, Psy.D. is a psychoanalytic open space for cultivating creativity and freedom of thought and feeling in a free Zoom meeting. We invite you to engage with our presenters and community as they share their interests and passions in conversation on current topics in psychoanalysis. Please see our calendar of events. The meeting often begins with a 45 minute presentation followed by 45 minutes of conversation. When an event is recorded you can access the recording at the vault.
This series is open to all.
In case of questions please contact: [email protected]
Narcissistic leaders: Bunkers and Monuments
April 18, 2027 @ 9:00 am - 10:30 am PDT
This talk examines how physical architecture can serve as a direct reflection of the internal psychological states of leaders with pathological narcissistic personality organization. These leaders often literalize the defense of their grandiose self by constructing bunkers, walls, and “bubbles” to achieve a state of “splendid isolation” when the external world fails to provide the constant admiration, they require to maintain their sense of identity. While bunkers are characterized as defensive structures intended to protect the “good” self from perceived external threats, monuments are often their aggressive counterparts, serving as phallic assertions of a leader’s power. However, monuments can also function as linking objects to facilitate collective mourning. Case studies of narcissistic leaders illustrate this “bunker mentality,” showing how pathological narcissism can lead to an obsession with underground labyrinths and fortifications. Ultimately, the sources argue that an emphasis on building such structures should be viewed as a warning sign of a leader’s narcissistic and totalitarian tendencies.
Presenter
Kevin Volkan, EdD, PhD, MPH
Kevin Volkan is Professor of Psychology at California State University Channel Islands, where he researches and teaches courses on psychopathology and atypical behaviors, clinical psychology, personality theory, as well as Nazi Germany, and Eastern philosophy. He also serves as adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he teaches courses related to psychoanalysis.
Kevin holds doctorates in clinical and quantitative health psychology. He is also a graduate of the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health and a former Harvard Medical School faculty member and administrator.
In addition to his academic work, he practices as a forensic consultant working with law enforcement agencies including the Department of Justice, state District Attorneys, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Kevin is the author of numerous papers and four psychoanalytic books. His latest book, written with his father, is Human Aggression, War, and Genocide: The Psychological Roots of Violence.
Series: Connections and Conversation
Connections and Conversation created and hosted by Shir Shanun, Psy.D. is a psychoanalytic open space for cultivating creativity and freedom of thought and feeling in a free Zoom meeting. We invite you to engage with our presenters and community as they share their interests and passions in conversation on current topics in psychoanalysis. Please see our calendar of events. The meeting often begins with a 45 minute presentation followed by 45 minutes of conversation. When an event is recorded you can access the recording at the vault.
This series is open to all.
In case of questions please contact: [email protected]
Narcissistic leaders: Bunkers and Monuments
April 18, 2027 @ 9:00 am - 10:30 am PDT
This talk examines how physical architecture can serve as a direct reflection of the internal psychological states of leaders with pathological narcissistic personality organization. These leaders often literalize the defense of their grandiose self by constructing bunkers, walls, and “bubbles” to achieve a state of “splendid isolation” when the external world fails to provide the constant admiration, they require to maintain their sense of identity. While bunkers are characterized as defensive structures intended to protect the “good” self from perceived external threats, monuments are often their aggressive counterparts, serving as phallic assertions of a leader’s power. However, monuments can also function as linking objects to facilitate collective mourning. Case studies of narcissistic leaders illustrate this “bunker mentality,” showing how pathological narcissism can lead to an obsession with underground labyrinths and fortifications. Ultimately, the sources argue that an emphasis on building such structures should be viewed as a warning sign of a leader’s narcissistic and totalitarian tendencies.
Presenter
Kevin Volkan, EdD, PhD, MPH
Kevin Volkan is Professor of Psychology at California State University Channel Islands, where he researches and teaches courses on psychopathology and atypical behaviors, clinical psychology, personality theory, as well as Nazi Germany, and Eastern philosophy. He also serves as adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he teaches courses related to psychoanalysis.
Kevin holds doctorates in clinical and quantitative health psychology. He is also a graduate of the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health and a former Harvard Medical School faculty member and administrator.
In addition to his academic work, he practices as a forensic consultant working with law enforcement agencies including the Department of Justice, state District Attorneys, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Kevin is the author of numerous papers and four psychoanalytic books. His latest book, written with his father, is Human Aggression, War, and Genocide: The Psychological Roots of Violence.
Presentation Archive
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