Dissertation Abstracts

Taking Your Meditation Cushion into the World: Perennial Philosophies and Social Action, a Process Work Perspective

Rhea (Process Work Center of Portland Graduate School, 1995)

This thesis attempts to build a bridge between spiritual traditions and sustainable social action using the process work paradigm.The thesis consists of a series of essays. Personal experience and examples from process-oriented seminars are the base material for the exploration.

The first part of the thesis is a partial overview of process work theory and aspects of shamanism, Taoism and Buddhism as the root philosophies of process work. The second part applies process work theory, skills and metaskills based in these philosophies to problematic aspects of social activism, which include: getting stuck in the social activist identity; leadership struggles; hopelessness, and rank issues. Working with racism, altered states and deep democracy are examined as specific topics in individual essays.

The intent of the thesis is to show how the meditation pillow, or the spirit, taken into the world through process work, can broaden and deepen the practice of social activism, thus helping to build sustainable relationship and community.

The Constant Itch to Self Development: A Personal Journey with Atopic Dermatitis

Silvia Camastral (Union Institute, 1995)

The Constant Itch to Self Development: A Personal Journey with Atopic Dermatitis is a multi-method autobiography that shows how the psychological pattern behind the author's chronic skin symptom emerges in dreams, relationships and different areas of her life.

This longitudinal in-depth study is based on the paradigm of process work, which has a basic belief that disturbances such as body symptoms contain their own solution and potential healing.

The dissertation highlights some of the various aspects of skin disease and living with it through a selection of literature on holistic approaches to skin disease and a presentation of skin and transformation in mythology and process work.

The author shows how she uses her symptoms as part of her personal growth through four interviews, several described and transcribed therapy sessions, dreams and descriptions of inner work, journal entries, artwork, creative writing and an exercise. This work is a personal and creative search for healing.

Social and cultural attitudes influence the way we deal with our experiences. The author's body symptoms and their underlying energies are a constant driving force in shedding the old skin of identity and its internalized societal expectations.

Listen or Die: The Terrorist as a Role

Alexandra Vassiliou (Union Institute, 1995)

This dissertation, titled Listen or Die: The Terrorist as a Ro/e, is a book length manuscript which explores various approaches to the terrorist and terrorism and introduces the concept of the terrorist as a role in a social field. Chapters include an introduction to the field of terrorism studies, definitions of the terrorist, and an exploration of the terrorist role in the larger culture. The project incorporates data gained from interviews with terrorists, studies of group processes where terrorism occurs as a role and information from a number of different perspectives on terrorism. The underlying theoretical basis for the research comes from a process-oriented perspective.

This approach to terrorism considers both the individual psychology of the terrorist and also the social context within which terrorism occurs. It introduces a new framework for thinking about terrorism. The dissertation explores the social reality within which terrorism takes place and specifically introduces the concept of terrorism as a communication style in conflict situations. This is an approach which goes beyond the question of whether terrorists are freedom fighters or criminals and considers the large social context within which terrorism develops.

This manuscript also contains four interviews with people affiliated with terrorist activity. These four individuals present their stories and discuss how they perceived terrorism as a means for social change. This is a unique contribution to the field of research into terrorism.

The dissertation should be useful for professionals working in the fields of individual and group psychology, conflict mediation and resolution, political activists, politicians and social scientists. It is also accessible to lay people who are interested in contributing to social change and working with conflict in their own lives and the world.