Csaba Szummer

Csaba Szummer is a University Professor and Head of the Department of Social Psychology and Intercultural Psychology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Károli Gáspár Reformed University in Budapest, Hungary. With a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has made significant contributions to the fields of psychoanalysis, phenomenology, and the study of altered states of consciousness, particularly regarding psychedelic substances.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Psychology (1993) from MTA TMB with dissertation "Freud's language game (Psychoanalysis as hermeneutics and narration)"
• MA in Economics (1983) from MKKE
• MA in Psychology (1989) from ELTE
• MA in Health Economics (2007) from SOTE
• Habilitation (2013) from University of Pécs
• University Professor title (2020)

Szummer's research focuses on the epistemological foundations of psychoanalysis, phenomenology of altered states of consciousness, history of psychology, and the relationship between psychedelics and spirituality. His work bridges continental philosophy, particularly phenomenology and hermeneutics, with psychological theory and practice. He has been instrumental in reviving interest in psychedelic research in Hungary and exploring the philosophical dimensions of altered states of consciousness.

His recent publications (2018-2024) demonstrate a consistent focus on dream phenomenology, the intersection of psychoanalysis and existential philosophy, and the study of psychedelic experiences. These works reveal a deep engagement with thinkers like Freud, Heidegger, Binswanger, and Foucault, while simultaneously advancing empirical and theoretical understanding of consciousness states. His scholarship shows a unique synthesis of continental philosophy with psychological inquiry.

Szummer serves as Vice President of the Multidisciplinary Society for Psychedelic Research and Secretary General of the Hungarian Daseinanalytic Association, reflecting his leadership in these specialized fields.

He has supervised several doctoral students including Gabriella Narancsik (2020), Krisztián Indries (2015), and Peter Horvath (2024), with research topics spanning Jung's Red Book, Japanese interpretations of psychoanalysis, and changing images of God. He has also served as opponent for numerous doctoral defenses, demonstrating his respected position in academic circles.

His international academic engagement includes guest lectures at Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca during the 2010/11 academic year, where he taught social psychology.