Carl Jung was, among many other things, an historian. His distinctive approach to the human past involved the application of concepts such as the collective unconscious, archetypal patterns, and individuation to particular events or processes including the spread of Christianity, the European Renaissance, and the World Wars. It is also interesting to ponder how Jung’s historical analysis compares with that of contemporary academic historians. In what ways do they overlap or bear similarities to one another? And in what ways might modern historians find Jungian understandings inadequate or limited?

Robert Strayer, PhD in European and African History, has taught at SUNY: Brockport, University of Canterbury in New Zealand, UCSC, CSU Monterey Bay, and Cabrillo College. He has received awards for excellence in both teaching and scholarship. His published works include books on African, Soviet, and world history. He is the lead author of Ways of the World: A Brief Global History, widely used in college and AP courses.