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An Interdisciplinary Model to Foster Existential Resilience and Transformation

Steij Stålbrand, Ingela LU orcid ; Brissman, Ive LU ; Nyman, Lovisa LU ; Sidenvall, Erik LU orcid ; Tranberg, Mattias LU orcid ; Wallin, Annika LU orcid ; Wamsler, Christine LU orcid and Jacobsen, Juliet LU (2025) In Challenges 16(1).
Abstract
Existential threats, including threats to the self, society, and the planet, are present throughout the lifespan and form a core element of the human experience. To consolidate knowledge and constructs about how people can adequately respond to existential threats, we convened an interdisciplinary working group, which consisted of eight researchers from the fields of psychology, systemic theology, practical theology, religious studies, cognitive science, palliative care, and sustainability science. The group met one day per week for 9 months to engage in an interactive co-creative process of data collection and analyses, discussion, iterative presentations, and writing. The process resulted in the development of an interdisciplinary model... (More)
Existential threats, including threats to the self, society, and the planet, are present throughout the lifespan and form a core element of the human experience. To consolidate knowledge and constructs about how people can adequately respond to existential threats, we convened an interdisciplinary working group, which consisted of eight researchers from the fields of psychology, systemic theology, practical theology, religious studies, cognitive science, palliative care, and sustainability science. The group met one day per week for 9 months to engage in an interactive co-creative process of data collection and analyses, discussion, iterative presentations, and writing. The process resulted in the development of an interdisciplinary model that pulls together the key themes of how people, societies, and systems can foster existential resilience and transformation. The model consists of three axes across which we (individuals, groups, systems) have to strengthen or stretch our “inner muscles”: connectedness, agency, and time. All axes contribute to the development of our inner capacities and, ultimately, meaning and purpose, which are crucial to support resilience and transformation. Our interdisciplinary overarching model provides a common conceptualization for existential resilience and transformation that can bridge existing research to support individual, collective, and large-scale system-change work. Its relevance and potential implementation are illustrated and presented from different disciplinary angles. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Existentiella hot, inklusive hot mot jaget, samhället och planeten, förekommer genom hela livet och utgör en central del av den mänskliga erfarenheten. För att sammanföra kunskap och begrepp om hur människor kan hantera existentiella hot på ett adekvat sätt sammankallade vi en tvärvetenskaplig arbetsgrupp bestående av åtta forskare från fälten psykologi, systematisk teologi, praktisk teologi, religionsvetenskap, kognitionsvetenskap, palliativ vård och hållbarhetsvetenskap. Gruppen möttes en dag i veckan under nio månader för att delta i en interaktiv, samskapande process av datainsamling och analys, diskussioner, iterativa presentationer och skrivande.

Processen resulterade i utvecklingen av en tvärvetenskaplig modell som... (More)
Existentiella hot, inklusive hot mot jaget, samhället och planeten, förekommer genom hela livet och utgör en central del av den mänskliga erfarenheten. För att sammanföra kunskap och begrepp om hur människor kan hantera existentiella hot på ett adekvat sätt sammankallade vi en tvärvetenskaplig arbetsgrupp bestående av åtta forskare från fälten psykologi, systematisk teologi, praktisk teologi, religionsvetenskap, kognitionsvetenskap, palliativ vård och hållbarhetsvetenskap. Gruppen möttes en dag i veckan under nio månader för att delta i en interaktiv, samskapande process av datainsamling och analys, diskussioner, iterativa presentationer och skrivande.

Processen resulterade i utvecklingen av en tvärvetenskaplig modell som sammanför de centrala teman kring hur individer, samhällen och system kan främja existentiell resiliens och transformation. Modellen består av tre axlar längs vilka vi (individer, grupper, system) behöver stärka eller tänja våra ”inre muskler”: sammanhang (connectedness), handlingskraft (agency) och tid (time). Alla axlar bidrar till utvecklingen av våra inre kapaciteter och, i slutändan, till mening och syfte, vilket är avgörande för att stödja resiliens och transformation.

Vår övergripande tvärvetenskapliga modell erbjuder en gemensam konceptualisering av existentiell resiliens och transformation, vilket kan fungera som en brygga mellan befintlig forskning och stödja arbete på individ-, grupp- och systemnivå för förändring i stor skala. Dess relevans och potentiella tillämpning illustreras och presenteras utifrån olika disciplinära perspektiv. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
alternative title
En tvärvetenskaplig modell för att främja existentiell resiliens och transformation
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Connectedness, Agency, Meaning, Hope, Long-term orientation, Personal development, Paradigms, Values, Transformative capacity, Sustainabiliity, Adaptation, Inner development goals, Inner development, Inner growth, Palliative care
in
Challenges
volume
16
issue
1
publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
2078-1547
DOI
10.3390/challe16010005
project
Relentless Existential Threat - Theme, Pufendorf IAS
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a8ff3685-cdf2-4be5-8167-215545fa5c52
date added to LUP
2025-03-04 09:32:19
date last changed
2025-04-04 13:52:11
@article{a8ff3685-cdf2-4be5-8167-215545fa5c52,
  abstract     = {{Existential threats, including threats to the self, society, and the planet, are present throughout the lifespan and form a core element of the human experience. To consolidate knowledge and constructs about how people can adequately respond to existential threats, we convened an interdisciplinary working group, which consisted of eight researchers from the fields of psychology, systemic theology, practical theology, religious studies, cognitive science, palliative care, and sustainability science. The group met one day per week for 9 months to engage in an interactive co-creative process of data collection and analyses, discussion, iterative presentations, and writing. The process resulted in the development of an interdisciplinary model that pulls together the key themes of how people, societies, and systems can foster existential resilience and transformation. The model consists of three axes across which we (individuals, groups, systems) have to strengthen or stretch our “inner muscles”: connectedness, agency, and time. All axes contribute to the development of our inner capacities and, ultimately, meaning and purpose, which are crucial to support resilience and transformation. Our interdisciplinary overarching model provides a common conceptualization for existential resilience and transformation that can bridge existing research to support individual, collective, and large-scale system-change work. Its relevance and potential implementation are illustrated and presented from different disciplinary angles.}},
  author       = {{Steij Stålbrand, Ingela and Brissman, Ive and Nyman, Lovisa and Sidenvall, Erik and Tranberg, Mattias and Wallin, Annika and Wamsler, Christine and Jacobsen, Juliet}},
  issn         = {{2078-1547}},
  keywords     = {{Connectedness; Agency; Meaning; Hope; Long-term orientation; Personal development; Paradigms; Values; Transformative capacity; Sustainabiliity; Adaptation; Inner development goals; Inner development; Inner growth; Palliative care}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Challenges}},
  title        = {{An Interdisciplinary Model to Foster Existential Resilience and Transformation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/challe16010005}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/challe16010005}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}