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Spirituality, Religiosity and Nationalism from The Psychiatria Danubina, 2019; Vol. 31, No. 4, pp 382-391 https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2019.382 View point article © Medicinska naklada - Zagreb, Croatia SPIRITUALITY, RELIGIOSITY AND NATIONALISM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PUBLIC AND GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH Miro Jakovljevic1, Asim Kurjak2, Ana Jerkovic3, Aziz Hasanovic4 & Mijo Nikic5 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Hospital “Sveti Duh”, Medical School University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia 3Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia 4Meshihat of Islamic Community in Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia 5Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia received: 25.4.2019; revised: 17.7.2019; accepted: 25.9.2019 SUMMARY Despite the intensive globalization and an attractive idea of human cosmopolitism the world is still divided into rival nations and religions, with confronting ethics and many war conflicts across the globe producing and perpetuating huge mental health problems. Radicalism, malignant nationalism, pathological religiosity and violent extremism and terrorism are important issues from the public and global mental health perspective. Public and global mental health research can inform preventive strategies and interventions against malignant nationalism, pathological religiosity and violent extremism. Healthy spirituality, sound religiosity and normal nationalism may contribute significantly to public and global mental health and promotion of empathic civilization. The aim of this paper is to address, stress and support mutual understanding and creative cooperation between religions and nations in promotion of public and global mental health, research, patient care and education. Key words: public and global mental health - empathic civilization - nationalism – religiosity - collective mind - transnationalism * * * * * INTRODUCTION lism, pathological religiosity and violent extremism and terrorism are very important threats from the public and We shall require a substantially a new manner global mental health perspective (Bhui 2018). These of thinking if mankind is to survive topics related to the political issues and collective Albert Einstein, 1879-1955 psychopathology, are too important to be left only to Our post-modern and post-truth the Antropocene politics and politicians. The crucial question here is epoch of globalization and the Transformation Science raised: how to create global systems of universal ethics, expansion, revolutions in information technology (info- security, health and well-fare, in other words how to tech) and biotechnology (biotech), free market, fast promote empathic civilization and global mental health? exchange of global knowledge, communication without We all, all nations and religions are faced with same boundaries, and endless opportunities for travel and global challenges and doomsday scenarios: the nuclear learning faces us with wonderful promises on one side war, the clash of cultures and civilizations, violent extre- as well as with many threats and dangers on the other mism and terrorism., ecological collapse and, techno- side (Harrari 2017, 2018, Srica 2018). Globalization logical disruption, collapse of liberalism based on ideas today is characterized by a rapid mobility of peoples, of human liberty and equality, and possible Big Data mass migrations, the proliferation of diaspora cultures, algorithm dictatorship making most people irrelevant. and a transnational sense of community provided by Not only that each of them is enough to destroy the internet relationships (Juergensmeyer 2019). Despite the future of our world, they also may reinforce one another, intensive globalization and an attractive idea of human so that no single major nation or religion on its own cosmopolitism the world is still divided into rival may overcome any of these challenges and threatens. nations and religions, with confronting ethics and many Making a new global identity of humanity and collec- war conflicts across the globe producing and perpetua- tive mind of humankind in which all nations and reli- ting huge mental health problems. Although we have gions can exist together respecting each other and been deeply engaged in a globalized era and an overall having enough good willing and wisdom to overcome multicultural society in mainly secular states, there is a the previously mentioned apocalyptic challenges and significant rise of violent nationalism and religious scenarios is an issue of huge importance for all extremism throughout the European countries as well as humanistic disciplines, including psychiatry and other throughout the world. Radicalism, malignant nationa- mental health disciplines. Authors are members of the Croatian Forum of European Academy of Sciences and Art for promoting the study of scientific principles and practical application, but also sociological and anthropological aspects affecting mental health and human reproductive processes 382 Miro Jakovljevic, Asim Kurjak, Ana Jerkovic, Aziz Hasanovic & Mijo Nikic: SPIRITUALITY, RELIGIOSITY AND NATIONALISM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PUBLIC AND GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH Psychiatria Danubina, 2019; Vol. 31, No. 4, pp 382-391 The challenging field of public and global mental group is stronger and according to numerous behavioral health deals with mental health problems at the popu- researches, the individual behaves differently, less con- lation, state and global level. The need for a public and scious, less responsible, with less need for effort when in global approach to protect and promote mental health as a group, than as an individual separated from the group. well as to reduce the burden of mental disorders is We live in a world united by Infotech, global flows increasingly recognized (Wahlbeck 2015). Public and of people, ideas and goods which is a fertile ground for global mental health, religiosity and nationalism are collective thinking, learning and strong collaboration at inter-related phenomena associated with collective mind national, international and global level. According to and that’s why we need an overhaul of our basic under- Hocking et al. 2016) collective thinking (individual- standing how nationalism and religiosity operate, in the introspective, biophysical-observations, social-narrati- light of mental health sciences. The aim of this paper is ves, ethical-principles, aesthetic-senses, sympathetic- to address and stress the importance of healthy religio- feelings, reflective-synergistic understanding) is a multi- sity and sane nationalism for promotion and reinfor- faceted approach where each of seven ways of cement of public and global mental health as well as a understanding is both a whole in itself, and a part of the need for resolution of wicked problems of violent natio- whole of the individual’s understanding. Examining nalism and morbid religiosity. wicked problems from the seven ways of understanding collective thinking is a method of getting a comprehen- RELIGIOSITY AND NATIONALISM sive understanding of problems as well as getting better AS PARTS OF COLLECTIVE MIND ways of tackling them. Collective mind (see table 1) based on collective thinking and learning and action AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS involves individual collective mind and community There are people who see the world as it is and collective mind (Hocking et al. 2016). Collective action ask why. We need people who see the world as involves participation in groups, organizations and it could be and ask why not. social movements that have shared goals and it is Velimir Sriüa fundamental for identity formation through common There are many ways of understanding ourselves, experience and mutual interactions. The common expe- our real human nature, our spirituality, religiosity and rience leads to shared frame of reference and collective nationalism. In his best-seller book 'Sapiens – A Brief mental model. It is very important now to better History of Humankind' Yuval Harrari (2011) explains a understand relationship between the internal human fascinating truth how mankind invented all boundaries mind (introspective and reflective understanding) and that surround it today – from the nations and states, to the external (biophysical, social or narrative, ethical, the companies and brands. Humans as social beings, for aesthetic and sympathetic understanding), as well as the evolutionary reasons strive to belong to a larger group, relationship between the individual mind and the in order to have better chances for survival, to be collective, the national mind and the cosmopolitan. It protected and feel safer. On his path of individualization seems true what Stephen Hawking claimed that we are and psychosocial development, human beings are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a looking for a group to identify with and to ensure giant brain”. Brain is place where biological, psycho- protection, security, an ideal to follow and trust, and logical, social and spiritual mechanisms meet each other reliable leadership that will look after his/her welfare as and interact and create individual and collective identity, a parent, father or mother figure. That is why humans consciousness and mind. Our brains shape our ideas and relate to concepts such as state, nation, religion, spiritual cultures, but also the ideas we follow as well as our group, the church, etc. for which they are ready to culture shape our brains. sacrifice
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