Womanhood and Femininity in Africa Mythology:   Application of Research through Clinical Practice with a Projective Material Based of Folktales

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Sponsored by Dr. Breeda McGrath

TCSPP Faculty Internationalization Grant Recipient

Womanhood and Femininity in Africa Mythology:

Application of Research through Clinical Practice with

a Projective Material Based of Folktales

Mythology and fairytales are a wide field of representations, rich with images of femininity and maternity. African oral literature was more and more conceptualized and recorded in the last years, by authors from many African countries. It brings an overview of our common unconscious, giving shape to traditional aspects of our lives. It also explains the symbolism of some traditions.

The evolution of social roles, and status, brings two new questions: where does this fear of women empowerment come from? And what do women want? In this webinar, we will explore different woman figures of African mythology and tales and explain their impact on representations of womanhood and gender differences. The tale expresses and translates in an encrypted language, terrors inherent in psychic life, from the most archaic to the most obvious, from the most diffuse to the most precise.

In addition, the tale has a particular advantage for the clinical practitioner: it touches on topics known to all or at least to most of the participants, presenting explicitly, implicit content and nuancing situations by allowing a role play that can alleviate the effect of stigma and guilt.