Election to Honorary Membership is a high individual honour that the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP) bestows on persons within or outside the Association. Such persons may or may not be analysts, but they will have distinguished themselves in the service of Analytical Psychology. Such distinction is defined in terms of the aims of the IAAP, which are to promote the study of, and to disseminate knowledge about Analytical Psychology.
The emphasis on this honour is on:
1. a) original scholarly work
and/or
b) an outstanding professional contribution
2. international recognition, for example nominations by two Associations from different countries
3. individual merit (not intended to honour any collective interest group or institution)
4. long and distinguished activities in the Jungian field
5. proven integrity
Posthumous nominations will not be considered.
Procedure for election to Honorary Membership
Proposals for nomination to Honorary Membership can be put forward by any member of an IAAP Group Member or an Individual Member with the exception of current members of the Executive Committee. Such proposals should be sent in writing to the Chair of the Honorary Members Sub-Committee.
The proposal shall include:
1. A written statement outlining why the particular person should be considered for this category of membership.
2. A description of the career and list of the important contributions of the nominee.
3. A statement that the proposed person is of good ethical standing.
4. The proposal for nomination needs to be supported by letters of recommendation from at least two IAAP members, preferably from more than one IAAP Group Member, who know the nominee and his or her work well.
The members of the Executive Committee are not authorized to make proposals. Proposals for nominations should be made to the Honorary Members Sub-Committee at least 20 months before the Meeting of Delegates. It will be acceptable for nominations to be sent by email.
The documents will be studied by the members of the Honorary Members Sub-Committee. A presentation of each proposal for nomination will be made to the Executive Committee at its annual meeting. The Executive Committee must then decide which names shall go forward to the process of nomination. A vote by the Executive Committee will be taken in secret.
If during the discussion by the Executive Committee, any serious concerns about a proposal for the attribution of Honorary Membership are expressed, then the process of nomination should not be continued. In the event that the Executive Committee takes such a decision, the nominators will be informed by the President in consultation with the Chair of the Honorary Membership Sub-Committee. The Executive Committee is not obliged to give any explanation for its decision.
After the Executive Committee has accepted the nominees, the President of the IAAP will ask the Group Members in writing if there are any formal objections to the proposed candidates. Each formal objection should be set down in writing and should reach the president no later than 12 months before the Meeting of Delegates. The Group Members are obliged to maintain formal confidentiality. Candidates should not be contacted.
If a formal objection is put forward, the Chair of the Sub-Committee will proceed by informing the nominators and asking them if they wish to continue with their proposal. Having received the answers from the nominators, the Chair of the Sub-Committee will inform the Officers and the Executive Committee about the proceedings and make a recommendation. The Executive Committee will decide which names are to go forward as nominations to the Meeting of Delegates for a vote of acceptance to Honorary Membership. The voting by the Executive Committee is secret. The nominators will be informed of the outcome by the President in consultation with the Chair of the Honorary Membership Sub-Committee. The Executive Committee is not obliged to give any explanation for its decision.
Should there be no objections from Group members, the persons nominated by the Executive Committee for Honorary Membership will be contacted by the Chair of the Honorary Members Sub-Committee to see if they are willing to accept their nominations and have their names submitted to the Meeting of Delegates for a vote. This task should be finished by the time of the meeting of the Council of Societies, so that Group Members can be informed of the names of nominees who have already accepted the nomination.
After having received the nominees’ acceptance, information about the nominees will be posted on the IAAP website in the member’s only area in order to make the nominated persons better known to the membership.
In case of a non-acceptance of a nomination, a minimum period of three years is required before an individual can be re-nominated for Honorary Membership. The President will communicate this to the nominators.