As a psychologist, I was also pleased to hear that Elster subscribes to the idea that the aim is to “deal with the proximate causes of behaviour”, and I am also sympathetic with the concept that, in order to study the influence between social phenomena, one has to attend to the agentic behaviour of the individuals affected. What surprised me in the first instance, however, was that, according to Elster, the causes of behaviour that social science is interested in are actually psychological phenomena, namely, “beliefs, desires, perceptions, and emotions”. My first thought was, “Aren’t social institutions and structures the hallmark of sociology and other social sciences? Or is this a definition that deliberately includes psychology as a social science, which not all psychologists would like?” Well, after a while I understood the position better. Obviously this is a particular understanding of the causal mechanism. It is conceived as the link between the macro level of societal structures and the micro level of individual behaviour, whereas the antecedent social structures and consequences on the macro level, which possibly result from micro level actions, are not seen as part of the mechanism.

Sadly, there is not enough space here to go further into this remarkable and interesting presentation, or to relate the intense discussion that followed. Suffice to say that for me such events provide the ultimate reward for working with and for IUPsyS: To meet colleagues, to hear and discuss different and new perspectives on old and fresh topics, to make plans to extend the outreach of our discipline and the Union, and to bring people together who might otherwise maintain an unhelpful distance from one another.

I would just like to mention one meeting that is yet to be: In November this year we will hold a workshop in Jena, Germany, on ‘Bereavement Research and Practice’ that will cover the topic of bereavement from a broad perspective, ranging from the normal lifespan-related loss of family, friends and acquaintances, through loss due to accidents and natural catastrophes, to loss caused by armed conflicts. The aim of the workshop is to provide learning opportunities for young investigators and PhD students interested in clinical psychology and related fields, such as developmental and social psychology, and to do this by having presentations from several international experts in the field of bereavement. We will also include group work where issues raised by the presentations will be discussed. Participants will be invited from three Caucasus countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

The workshop, which is an element of the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS) Capacity Building program, is also important for other reasons. We have been fortunate enough to secure funding for this workshop from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of its program entitled, “Prevention of Conflict in the South Caucasus Region.” This funding will enable us to invite and host participants from the three Caucasus countries already mentioned, as well as participants from Germany. Any participants invited from the rest of the world will be funded from other sources, including, of course, the Union. I see this joint funding as a major step forward in extending the outreach of the Union’s activities, especially concerning its Capacity Building program, and in helping us to fulfil several aspects of our Strategic Plan.

During the summer the Union was active in its representation at two regional congresses and one national conference. In July I briefly attended the Interamerican Congress of Psychology in Guatemala City, and met with presidents and representatives of Central and South American psychology associations at a lively breakfast meeting organized by IUPsyS as outreach to Latin American colleagues and encouragement to join the Union <link to power point>. I was invited to speak in a Presidential symposium on challenges to psychology <link to power point>. Directly afterwards I was in Oslo at the European Congress of Psychology where I met good old friends of the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) and learned that they had elected Robert Roe as their new President. Together with fellow officers I met colleagues from other international organizations, gave an invited keynote lecture on behalf of IUPsyS, and also together with the publishers celebrated a farewell reception as soutrgoing editor of EFPA’s journal European Psychologist. The success of this journal reminded me of the importance of international journals as official outlets of a scientific society like ours.