Abstract
The purpose of the research was to describe the experiences of nine lecturers in a particular historically Black university (HBU), in order to analyse and interpret how through a stay way action and reflexivity about this action they could deal with shame dynamics operating in their relationship with students and management. A qualitative research method was used to explore the lecturers’ experiences in a historically black university in South-Africa. The findings will illustrate how through a stay way action and their reflexivity about the stay away actions, the lecturers could move beyond hidden shame dynamics to a new story. The new story is a story of hope and creativity, which was poised to disrupt hidden shame dynamics, entrenched amongst students, lecturers and management in the HBU. By integrating the findings with systems psychodynamic literature, it will be evident how consultants and researchers through different interventions can address hidden shame dynamics in their consultancy and/or research.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alford, C. F. (2002). Is murder impossible? Levinas, Winnicott, and the ruthless use of the object. Journal of Psycho-Social Studies, 1(1). Retrieved from http://www.btinternet.com/~psycho_social/Vol1/JPSS1-CFA1.html.
Amado, G. (1995). Why psychoanalytical knowledge helps us understand organisations, a discussion with Elliot Jacques. Human Relations, 48(4), 351–358.
Beck, U. C., & Visholm, S. (2014). Authority relations in group relations conferences and in ‘real life’ group relations conferences. Danish Design I 1, 14(2), 227–237.
Cilliers, F., & Koortzen, P. (2005). Applying the CIBART consulting model at individual, group and organisational levels. HR Future, 113(10), 52–53.
Cytrynbaum, S., & Noumair, A. (2004). Group dynamics, organisational irrationality, and social complexity: Group relations reader 3. Jupiter: A.K. Rice.
Czander, W., & Eisold, K. (2003). Psychoanalytic perspectives on organisational consulting: Transference and countertransference. Human Relations, 56(4), 475–490.
Eisold, K. (2004). Leadership and the creation of authority. In S. Cytrynbaum & D. A. Noumair (Eds.), Group dynamics, organisational irrationality and social complexity: Group Relations Reader 3 (pp. 289–302). Washington DC: A.K. Rice Institute.
Erlich, H. S. (2004). Dependency, autonomy and the politics of survival. Social and Organisational Dynamics, 4, 285–297.
Frier, G. (2017). Eyes wide shut. Retrieved from https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Eyes-wide-shut/1187/2688576/view.
Hartling, L. M., & Lindner, E. G. (2016). Healing humiliation: from reaction to creative action. Journal of Counseling & Development, 94390, 383–390.
Hayden, C., & Molenkamp, R. J. (2004). Tavistock primer II. In S. Cytrynbaum & D. A. Noumair (Eds.), Group dynamics, organisational irrationality and social complexity: Group relations reader 3 (pp. 135–157). Washington DC: A.K. Rice Institute.
Heracleous, L. (2004). Boundaries in the study of organisation. Human Relations, 57(1), 95–103.
James, K., & Huffington, C. (2004). Containment of anxiety in organisational change: A case example of changing organisation boundaries. Social and Organisational dynamics, 4, 212–233.
Lansky, M. R. (2005). Hidden shame. Journal of American Psycho-analytic Association, 53(3), 865–890.
Lawrence, W. G. (1985). Management development … some ideals, images and realities. In A. D. Colman & M. H. Geller (Eds.), Group relations reader 2 (pp. 231–240). Washington DC: A.K. Rice Institute.
May, M. S. (2010). The unconscious at work: The (k)not of relationship between students, lecturers and management in a historically black university. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of South Africa, Pretoria.
May, M. S. (2012). Diversity dynamics operating between students, lecturers and management in a historically Black university: The lecturers’ perspective. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 38(2), Art. #1003, 8 pp. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v38i2.100.
May, M. S. (2017). Shame! A systems psychodynamic perspective. In E. Vanderheiden & C.-H. Mayer (Eds.), The value of shame: Exploring a health resource in cultural contexts (pp. 43–59). Cham: Springer.
May, M. S. & Cilliers, F. (2002). The Robben Island diversity experience 2001. Diversity dynamics a year later. In Eight national congress of psychological society of South Africa. Bellville: University of the Western Cape.
May, M. S., Cilliers, F., & Van Deventer, S. H. (2012). Exploring the (k)not of relationship between lecturers and management at a historically Black university: The lecturer’s perspective. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 38(2), Art. #998, 10 pp. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v38i2.998.
May, M. S., & Evans, A. C. (2004). Making group relations at home in South Africa. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 14(1), 29–36.
Miller, E. J., & Rice, A. K. (1990). Task and sentient system and their boundary controls. In E. Trist & H. Murray (Eds.), The social engagement of social science (pp. 259–271). Philadelphia: The University of Pennsylvania Press.
Nutkevitch, A. (1998). The container and its containment: A meeting space for psychoanalytic and open systems theories. Paper presented at ISPSO. Retrieved from http://www.ispso.org/Symposia/Jerusalem/1998nutkevitch.htm.
Nutkevitch, A. (2001). Is containment relevant? Organisational & Social Dynamics, 2, 270–271.
Obholzer, A. (2001). The leader, the unconscious, and the management of the organisation. In L. J. Gould, L. F. Stapley, & M. Stein (Eds.), The systems psychodynamics of organisations: Integrating the group relations approach. Psychoanalytic, and open systems perspective (pp. 91–114). New York: Karnac.
Obholzer, A., & Roberts, V. Z. (Eds.). (1994). The unconscious at work: Individual and organizational stress in the human services. London: Routledge.
Powell Pruitt, L., & Barber, M. (2004). Savage inequalities indeed: Irrationality and urban school reform. In S. Cytrynbaum & D. A. Noumair (Eds.), Group dynamics, organisational irrationality and social complexity: Group relations reader 3 (pp. 303–320). Washington DC: A.K. Rice Institute.
Reciniello, S. (2014). The conscious leader: Nine principles and practices to create a wide-awake and productive workplace. London: LID Publishing.
Rice, A. K. (1970). The modern university a model organisation. London: Tavistock Publications.
Rogers, K. (1976). Teaching and learning responsibility: A model of an educational approach for meeting the challenge of change. In E. J. Miller (Ed.), Task and organisation (pp. 339–359). London: Wiley.
Scott, S. (2011). Uncovering shame in groups: An exploration of unconscious shame manifest as a disturbance in communication within the early stages of an analytic group. Group Analysis, 44(1), 83–96. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0533316410391168.
Singer, I. (2006). Unmasking difference, culture, and attachment in the psychoanalytic space: “Don’t you make my blue eyes brown”. In K. White (Ed.), Unmasking race, culture and attachment in the psychoanalytic space (pp. 61–74). New York: Karnac.
Sher, M. (2010). Corruption: Aberration or an inevitable part of the human condition? Insights from a Tavistock approach. Organisational & Social Dynamics, 10(1), 40–55.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
May, M.S. (2019). Lecturers Through a Stay-Away Action Disowning Shame: Interventions from a System Psychodynamic Perspective. In: Mayer, CH., Vanderheiden, E. (eds) The Bright Side of Shame. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13409-9_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13409-9_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-13408-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-13409-9
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)