Psychoanalytical Education and Educational Science
Psychoanalysis is not only a psychotherapeutic method, but also serves to explore the unconscious in education, upbringing and culture.
The dynamic unconscious, social and symbolic processes that constitute us as subjects in a specific cultural context, shape interpersonal relationships and influence educational interactions are the subject of its cognitive interest. Psychoanalytic theories and concepts in their relevance for educational research and educational practice are taken into account. Another concern is the further development of psychoanalytic-interpretative research methods that are applied in educational science.
Scientific staff
Priv.-Doz. Mag. Mag. Dr phil. Gianluca Crepaldi
Senior Scientist
M.A. Soz. Andreas Jensen
University assistant
In its research, the department deals with psychoanalytic perspectives on development, education and socialisation, psychoanalytic basic and conceptual research as well as psychoanalytic culture and subject theory and the successful or unsuccessful coping strategies of currently pressing social and individual challenges.
Current research projects
Habilitation project
One research focus of the department is psychoanalytic conceptual research (cf. Leuzinger-Bohleber & Fischmann 2006), especially since the paradigmatic application of psychoanalysis in education and educational sciences and its transfer into educational practice require current and solid theoretical-scientific foundations. Selected psychoanalytic concepts are revised, relevant empirical findings and historical developments of the concepts are brought together, and systematic problems of individual concepts are critically discussed; if necessary, updates of individual concepts are also proposed (Gianluca Crepaldi).
Dissertation project
Psychosocial consequences of flight are highly relevant socially, politically and pedagogically. Against this backdrop, a dissertation in the research area deals with the experiences of refugee migrants in the society of arrival. In order to be able to research the psychosocial situation of refugee migrants in its depth dimension, theories and methods of psychoanalytic social psychology are used as sensitising concepts to enable adequate access to the psychodynamic conflicts, themes and unconscious dimensions of the research field of refugee migration located between society and subject (Andreas Jensen).
Psychoanalytical approaches can be made fruitful for a variety of questions in education and educational sciences. A solid psychoanalytical and psychoanalytical-pedagogical basic knowledge is imparted in the teaching. Psychoanalysis is anchored in the Bachelor of Educational Science through its own compulsory module. However, psychoanalytic theories are also applied in other areas of educational science. In addition, there is the possibility to write a psychoanalytically oriented Bachelor's thesis (seminar with Bachelor's thesis) at least annually, if not semestral, depending on the courses offered.
In the Master's programme, the psychoanalytical field is represented by an in-depth module (elective module 3), "The Unconscious in Education, Formation and Culture"; in this module, psychoanalytical questions on development, culture and subject are deepened and pedagogical action is reflected psychoanalytically. In Module 4, psychoanalytical methods can be practised with regard to a Master's thesis.
For more information, please refer to the course catalogue and the applicable curricula for the study programme in Education and Educational Science (Bachelor's programme and Master's programme) at the Faculty of Education at the University of Innsbruck.