Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan, one of the founders and most important experts of the science of political psychology, will give a conference at Near East University titled to answer the question “Why Are There Wars?”

World-famous scientist Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan who is also the owner of the Mary Sigorni Award, which is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the world and given in the field of psychoanalysis, and is considered one of the founders of the science of political psychology, will give a conference at Near East University titled “Why Are There Wars?”

The language of the conference, which will be held on Thursday, June 13, at 11:00 in Hall 101 of the Near East University Hospital, will be Turkish. Within the scope of the “Conference Series” organized by the Near East University Center of Excellence, Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan will discuss the “war” in his homeland. Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan’s conference will be open to the public free of charge. The conference will examine in detail the causes of wars from history to the present and will present important evaluations about current international crises.

While the Russia-Ukraine war, which started in 2014, is continuing on the one hand, the war between Israel and Hamas, which intensified in Gaza, led to violent clashes and heavy civilian casualties, on the other hand. All these events today, when humanity continues to fight among itself, as in every period of history, will be discussed by Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan from the perspective of political psychology.

The conference, which will be open to all professional organizations, non-governmental organizations, press and the public, will also be broadcast live on the official YouTube channel of Near East University.

Who is Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan?

Born in Cyprus in 1932, Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan graduated from Ankara Medical Faculty in 1956. Prof. Volkan, who taught psychiatry at the University of Virginia for 45 years and served as chief physician at the hospital of the same university for 18 years, also worked as a senior academician at the Erikson Institute in Massachusetts for 10 years.

Prof. Dr. Volkan founded the Center for the Study of Mind and Human Interaction (CSMHI) at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1987. Prof. Dr. Volkan also served as president of the Turkish-American Neuropsychiatric Association, the International Association for Political Psychology, the Virginia Psychoanalysis Association and the American College of Psychoanalysts. Known internationally for his work on conflict resolution and large group psychology, Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan has made a name for himself with his analyzes especially on ethnic conflicts, terrorism and the psychological profiles of political leaders. Prof. Dr. Volkan is considered one of the founders of the science of political psychology.

Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan has more than 50 books published and translated into many languages. Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan is also the recipient of the Mary Sigorni Award in 2016, which is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the world after the Nobel Prize and is given in the field of psychoanalysis.