Psychopolitical action projects and research

PsychoPolitical Action Projects and Research
are a combination of psychological, emotional, financial and material support, skills training, and education in regions of ethnic and multi-ethnic tension.
As an pro-active preventative of violence in a pre-crisis state, the projects actively support multi-ethnic dialogue. In post-trauma crisis, they attempt to heal the collective trauma experienced. The participants and the community are invited to choose the scope, form, content and length of their project based on the community's individual uniqueness and needs. In multi-ethnic groups the projects are developed via consensus and their various stages are translated into action on location.
All projects are based on the inner values of the consciousness of joy, empowerment to choose, choice and self-help. This approach leads to a dynamic change in as it promotes and allows for individual choice and encourages taking personal responsibility for co-operation and individual growth. Through the work involved in the Action Projects participants' confidence and self-esteem deepen, and through the attendant changes in inner values, individual choice becomes a viable option, the choice not to participate in violence.


Preventing Collective Violence 2000 to 2004 - is a PsychoPolitical Action Project on the island of Bali, Indonesia where turbulent economic crises, a shaken tourist industry, and a large influx of immigrants from other cultures and religions and the terrorist bomb combine to threaten local stability.
This project is a pilot designed to introduce new perspectives for dealing with potentially explosive national situations. It draws upon the potential of human values and conscious choice to prevent the outbreak of collective violence. The project is aimed at a long-term deterrent approach and takes place in a rural community, and a tourist area, in multi-ethnic at risk areas to prevent violence through the knowledge and experience as well as the various skills and values developed in the group projects.
Project participants and key personnel have the opportunity to experience collaborative learning and to support a network of different multi-ethnic groups, which, in turn, provides for a larger active field of prevention of violence.

Survey - is taking place in the tourist paradise of Bali, Indonesia amid its many ethnic tensions.
The surveys were designed and developed by Dr. Margret Rueffler of the PsychoPolitical Peace Foundation and Dr. Andrew McDowell, of the medical faculty at University Adelaide, Australia. The Indonesian Institute of Science, Jakarta, under Lembagu Ilmu Pengetahuan is supporting the surveys. The current survey is being conducted by a team of the Department of Social Politics, Warmadewa University in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia and evaluated by Dr. Supriyadi, of the Psychology Department and Medical Faculty of Udayana University in Denpasar.


Healing a Collective 1994 to 1998 - is a PsychoPolitical Action Project in the mountain village of Bakuriani, Republic of Georgia, conceived after a collective trauma. The forceful displacement of an ethnic minority group, left the village in a collective depression. the project's purpose was to catalyse and empower a paralysed and traumatized collective to take responsible actions to move from despair to positive response. The project stimulated individual and collective growth through empowerment and self-help.

Surveys - initiated following an ethnic conflict in the mountain village of Bakuriani, Republic of Georgia, are in two parts, showing the effects before and after post trauma work on the collective self-esteem, assumption of responsibility and increased activities.
The survey was developed by Dr. Margret Rueffler, PsychoPolitical Peace Institute in conjunction with Dr. Marina Chitashvili, Tbilisi State University, and was conducted and evaluated by the Cross Cultural and Social Research Center (CC & SRC) Tbilisi, Georgia.


Berlin, Germany 2002 to 2003 - in cooperation with "Entimon", a program of the ministry of Health, family, seniors and youth, and Trapez e.V. Berlin, Tegel: "Living together in Peace" at the local Havelmüller multi-ethnic elementary school, introducing new values and reducing violence trough project work with students. Project conceptualization and scientific consulting PPPI.


Surabaya, Java 2002 to 2006 - Long term prevention of collective violence and post trauma approaches to groups; Women empowering women in Aceh, Sumatra; Blitar, Java, children prison, are newly developed projects with the the Faculty of Psychology at Ubaya University in Surabaya in cooperation with PPPI, to introduce new values in multi-ethnic local high tension areas.

Researching the Psychology of Nations
The impact of a nation's history on its self-esteem and attitude
National developmental phases
National identity and the "Self" of a Nation
Nations, the family of humanity as a whole