Contexts Editor
As I write, the extreme and disturbing June heatwave, currently scorching the air, earth and forests of Spain, leaves me tired, without energy and deeply pessimistic about why this is happening. Lifting my spirits slightly, the local fiesta mayor where I live is in full swing, and although any movement or activity, involving anything more than strolling through this furnace and which does not involve significant shade or water, is a no-no, I will go out later in the hopefully bearable evening air when the heat has lost its murderous intensity and at least taste the atmosphere. In Spain, all cities, towns, villages, even barrios (neighbourhoods) have their own fiesta mayor. In Catalonia, these 4 or 5 day occasions, amongst many other things, will usually always involve Sardanas (Catalan circle dancing https://youtu.be/-tEIIMwFZF4), Castellers (Catalan human towers https://youtu.be/K1HWyUIZ5kk), Correfocs (running with fire https://youtu.be/he9MKrsZTN8) and fireworks. This evening there’s a Correfoc, which is a particular form of Mediterranean madness lead by people dressed up as devils and spitting and spraying fire, sparks and explosive noise all about. There’s something savage, anarchic and cathartic about it, which, without doubt, wouldn’t get past your average UK health and safety executive. Sants, the Barcelona barrio in which we will be holding the 18th GASi Symposium (2nd – 6th September, 2020), holds its fiesta mayor at the end of August, just before we hold our big event. La Mercé, Barcelona’s fiesta mayor, usually takes place in the 3rd week of September, i.e., not long after. Some kind of party, parade, cultural event or celebration is never that far away in Spain. Some argue that this is why Spain is better equipped to resist the globalising and homogenising culture-stripping ravages of capitalism and why anarchy has a much deeper tradition here than in many other places.
Early in June, the Scientific Committee of the Barcelona Symposium launched a Call for Papers. It is hoped that the theme we have chosen will inspire enough of you to propose a paper, workshop or poster. We hope to have the online system for processing your abstracts up and running some time in July. To this end. we are working closely with Kuoni, a company we have appointed to help stage our event. The principal challenge we face is working across the three languages (Catalan, Spanish and English) to which we have committed.
Alongside, this call for papers, I would like to add a Call for Gaffes. In this issue, as well as a brief reflection on gossip, Harold Behr has shared with us an early gaffe of his own. We’ve all made them, surely! Why not follow Harold’s lead and share them publicly with our colleagues and friends.
In this post-Foulkes lecture and spring weekend issue of Contexts I have noticed that reflections on those events have appeared in the GASi forum. Unusually, no reports or reflections on the weekend have been sent to me. In my mind, this is a clear example of how the forum has become the principal space for reflection and exchange around specifically GASi events. However, in this issue we have reports from three other events of great interest to us: the IIGA workshop in Israel “Roots and Wings in the Group”; the Chieri (Italy) Reflective Citizens workshop; and the two three-day introductory workshops in Group Analysis that took place in Bangalore, India.
Juan Tubert-Oklander’s Foulkes Lecture asked many questions and pointed a way forward for GA. However, if his lecture left you wanting more, in particular, the personal context for his ideas, then look no further than Rob White’s fascinating conversation with him, reproduced in this issue. It acts as an excellent and illuminating partner piece for his lecture and I strongly recommend readers take in both together. For your information, the next issue of Contexts in September will include an interview with Sue Einhorn, the next Foulkes Lecturer.
This richly diverse issue of Contexts also introduces a new regular section, launched by Svein Tjelta and arising out of the Group-Analytic Dictionary (GAD) project. I am delighted that some of the work already undertaken for GAD is to be made available in this publication, one concept or definition per issue. We start with Göran Ahlin’s piece on the matrix.
We also have pieces exploring complex themes arising out of two centres of contemporary upheaval, Britain and its approaching Brexit (Kenneth Bledin) and Greece and its potential for totalitarianism (Anastassios Koukis).
I am pleased to welcome Malcolm Peterson, who has agreed to take on the role of book reviewer for Contexts. If you have any suggestions for books to be reviewed, or if you would be interested in reviewing a book, write to Malcolm at malcolm.peterson1@btinternet.com.
Finally, I would like to wish the organisers, staff and participants in the forthcoming GASi Summer School in Rijeka, Croatia a successful and stimulating experience.
Peter Zelaskowski