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Dialogical Self and the Soul

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Jungian and Dialogical Self Perspectives

Abstract

The notion of the Dialogical Self considers the self as ‘a dynamic multiplicity of relatively autonomous I-positions in the landscape of the mind’ (Hermans, 2001, p. 174). These I-positions offer a way of talking which neatly sidesteps the problem of reification inherent in older concepts such as archetypes, complexes, subpersonalities, ego states and parts. I-positions come and go with the situation, and are not regarded as solid, continuous entities. They also resolve the problem of making a space for such concepts as soul, spirit or god/goddess, which are clearly not ‘sub’ anything, nor are they ego states or parts of the person. Some clients, and some therapists, make use of such ideas, and in most theories, they are hard to handle. But they can be I-positions.

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Authors
  1. John Rowan
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, UK

    Raya A. Jones

  2. Graduate School of Kobe University, Japan

    Masayoshi Morioka

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© 2011 John Rowan

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Rowan, J. (2011). Dialogical Self and the Soul. In: Jones, R.A., Morioka, M. (eds) Jungian and Dialogical Self Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230307490_10

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