Jung Irigaray Individuation

How do philosophy and analytical psychology contribute to the mal-figuring of the feminine and women? Does Luce Irigaray's work represent the possibility of individuation for women, an escape from masculine projection and an affirming re-figuring of women? And what would individuation for women entail? This work postulates a novel and unique relationship between Carl Jung and Luce Irigaray. Its central argument, that an ontologically different feminine identity situated in women's embodiment, women's genealogy and a women's divine is possible, develops and re-figures Jung's notion of individuation in terms of an Irigarayan woman-centred politics. Individuation is re-thought as a politically charged issue centred around sex-gendered difference focussed on a critique of Jung's conception of the feminine. The book outlines Plato's conception of the feminine as disorder and argues that this conception is found in Jung's notion of the anima feminine. It then argues that Luce Irigaray's work challenges the notion of the feminine as disorder. Her mimetic adoption of this figuring of the feminine is a direct assault on what can be understood as a culturally dominant Western understanding. Luce Irigaray argues for a feminine divine which will model an ideal feminine just as the masculine divine models a masculine ideal. In making her claims, Luce Irigaray, the book argues, is expanding and elaborating Jung's idea of individuation. Jung, Irigaray, Individuation brings together philosophy, analytical psychology and psychoanalysis in suggesting that Luce Irigaray's conception of the feminine is a critical re-visioning of the open-ended possibilities for human being expressed in Jung's idea of individuation. This fresh insight will intrigue academics and analysts alike in its exploration of the different traditions from which Carl Jung and Luce Irigaray speak.

How do philosophy and analytical psychology contribute to the mal-figuring of the feminine and women? Does Luce Irigaray's work represent the possibility of individuation for women, an escape from masculine projection and an affirming re-figuring of women? And what would individuation for women entail? This work postulates a novel and unique relationship between Carl Jung and Luce Irigaray. Its central argument, that an ontologically different feminine identity situated in women's embodiment, women's genealogy and a women's divine is possible, develops and re-figures Jung's notion of individuation in terms of an Irigarayan woman-centred politics. Individuation is re-thought as a politically charged issue centred around sex-gendered difference focussed on a critique of Jung's conception of the feminine. The book outlines Plato's conception of the feminine as disorder and argues that this conception is found in Jung's notion of the anima feminine. It then argues that Luce Irigaray's work challenges the notion of the feminine as disorder. Her mimetic adoption of this figuring of the feminine is a direct assault on what can be understood as a culturally dominant Western understanding. Luce Irigaray argues for a feminine divine which will model an ideal feminine just as the masculine divine models a masculine ideal. In making her claims, Luce Irigaray, the book argues, is expanding and elaborating Jung's idea of individuation. Jung, Irigaray, Individuation brings together philosophy, analytical psychology and psychoanalysis in suggesting that Luce Irigaray's conception of the feminine is a critical re-visioning of the open-ended possibilities for human being expressed in Jung's idea of individuation. This fresh insight will intrigue academics and analysts alike in its exploration of the different traditions from which Carl Jung and Luce Irigaray speak.

Within this book, Gray argues that moments of profound existential importance are given to us in the presence of Art, and that such moments are important motivators in our personal, civic, and moral lives. Using the work of Jung, Freud, Berger, and Nussbaum, this book looks to Art in its theory and practice as a driver of psychic epiphany. Examining music, environment, architecture, poetry, and painting, it traces the relationship between the ordinary and the extraordinary, showing how we can and do locate ourselves beyond our own psyches in a world of artistic endeavour. Gray concludes that Art plays a critical role in psychological practice and human flourishing on an individual and collective level. Epiphanies, Individuation, and Human Flourishing will appeal to artists, art theorists, therapists, and analysts as a teaching tool that demonstrates the possible connections that can be made among the arts, sciences and psycho-therapeutic communities, and Nature.

Feminist Views from Somewhere: Post-Jungian Themes in Feminist Theory explores what and how Jungian thought contributes to feminist thinking. Broadly speaking, feminist thinking, or thinking by and about women as autonomous, intelligent and independent agents, has opened up scholarship through insightful, reflective critique and practice. This is the starting point of this collection from a range of theorists, interested in the multiple concerns of Jungian and analytical psychology. The contributors take a unique approach to Jungian thinking. Rather than focusing on its mythological aspects, the authors develop alternative, feminist approaches that enhance the appreciation of the possibilities for Jungian and post-Jungian studies. With a primarily theoretical orientation, the rigorous, critical approaches in the collection highlight the possibilities of imaginative Jungian theory. Divided into three parts, ‘Viewing Earth’, ‘Clinical Perspectives’ and ‘Literary Landscapes’, the chapters cover themes including embodiment, intersubjectivity, individuation and narrative. The contributors vividly reflect the range and diversity of opinions amongst women influenced by Jungian thought. Feminist Views from Somewhere is essential reading for academics and students of Jungian and post-Jungian studies, women’s studies and gender studies, as well as analytical psychologists in practice and in training.

This book brings C.G. Jung into conversation with the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, taking a radical view of post-modernist theory which, the author argues, is relentlessly introverted. Frances Gray presents completely new research which extends analytical psychology into the world of dispute resolution in mediation within a deeply philosophical framework. Arguing that mediation is a therapeutics that entails a psycho-social archaeology which, in turn, requires recognition of the foundational roles of sex/gender, time and narrative in inter-subjective relationships, this book develops Jung’s approach to projection as an ethical process that assumes the presence of a sex/gendered Other. Chapters explore the possibility of a psycho-social archaeology through development of the argument that a radical turn to the fundamentals of our own consciousnesses can open up a landscape on which we begin to fashion the moral courage necessary for the practice of alternative dispute resolution in mediation. This book highlights Jung’s contention that withdrawal of projection is a fundamentally moral endeavour and that although Levinas’ face of the Other can be seen as a way of acknowledging the Otherness of the Other, there are limits to its application in Jungian thinking. This book maintains that the face of the Other is critical to any moral encounter and, above all, brings us to the transformational possibilities of the process of dispute resolution in mediation. Jung and Levinas will appeal to researchers, students and practitioners of analytical psychology, dispute resolution, applied ethics, conflict studies and transformation.

This thought-provoking volume offers an overview of contemporary representations of prominent female characters as they appear in an array of moving-image narratives from a Jungian and post-Jungian perspective. Applying a theoretical frame that is richly informed by the Jungian and post-Jungian concepts of persona, individuation, and archetypes, works including Fleabag (2016-2019), Ladybird (2017), and The Queen’s Gambit (2020) as well as Disney productions such as Brave (2012), Moana (2016), and Frozen (2013), are contextualized and discussed alongside their non-screen precedents and contemporaries, including myths, fairy tales, and works of literature, to closely examine new patterns of the female journey. This book identifies how young female characters rebel against the female persona of previous eras through the trickster, the shadow, and other archetypes, comparing the contemporary female protagonist with her predecessors to assess the new paths, roles, and milestones available to her. Examining the construction of the female persona across time periods and mediums in an accessibly written yet academic style, this book is the first of its kind. With a fulsome account of the progressive developments in entertainment media and Jungian thought, this book is essential reading for students and scholars of film, as well as anyone with an interest in analytical psychology and wider feminist issues in contemporary culture.

Popular film as a medium of communication, expression and storytelling has proved one of the most durable and fascinating cultural forms to emerge during the twentieth century, and has long been the object of debate, discussion and interpretation. Film After Jung provides the reader with an overview of the history of film theory and delves into analytical psychology to consider the reaction that popular film can evoke through emotional and empathetic engagement with its audience. This book includes: an introduction to film scholarship discussions of key Jungian concepts Post-Jungian film studies beyond film. It also considers the potential for post-Jungian contributions to film studies, and the ways in which these can help to enrich the lives of those undergoing clinical analysis. Film After Jung encourages students of film and psychology to explore the insights and experiences of everyday life that film has to offer by applying Post-Jungian concepts to film, image construction, narrative, and issues in cultural theory. It will enhance the film student’s knowledge of film engagement as well as introducing the Jungian analyst to previously unexplored traditions in film theory.

The West has never been more affluent yet the use of anti-depressants is on the increase to the extent that the World Health Organisation has declared it a major source of concern. How has this state of affairs come about and what can be done? Television and advertising media seem to know. Wherever we look they offer countless remedies for our current situation - unfortunately none of them seem to work. The Happiness Illusion explores how the metaphorical insights of fairy-tales have been literalised and turned into commodities. In so doing, their ability to educate and entertain has largely been lost. Instead advertising and television sell us products that offer to magically transform the way we look, how we age, where we live –both in the city and the countryside, the possibility of new jobs, and so forth. All of these are supposed to make us happy. But despite the allure of ‘retail therapy’ modern magic has lost its spell. What then are the sources of happiness in our contemporary society? Through a series of fairy-tales The Happiness Illusion: How the media sold us a fairytale looks at topics such as age, gender, marriage and rom-coms, Nordic Noir and the representations of therapy on television. In doing so it explores alternative ways to relate to the world in a symbolic and less literal manner – it suggests that happiness comes by making sure we don’t fall under the spell of the illusionary promises of contemporary television and advertising. Instead, happiness comes from being ourselves – warts and all. This book will be of interest to Jungian academics, film, media and cultural studies academics, social psychologists and their students, as well as reaching out to those interested in fairy-tale studies, psychotherapists and educated cinema goers. Luke Hockley PhD, is Research Professor of Media Analysis, at the University of Bedfordshire, UK. He is a practicing psychotherapist and is registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). Luke is joint Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Jungian Studies (IJJS) and a member of the Advisory Board for the journal Spring and lectures widely. www.lukehockley.com Nadi Fadina is a media entrepreneur and a managing partner in an international film fund. She is involved in a variety of arts and media related projects, both in profit and non-profit spheres. She teaches Film Business in the University of Bedfordshire, however, her academic interests outreach spheres of business and cover ideology, Russian fairytales, sexuality, politics, anthropology, and cinema. www. nadi-fadina.com