Psychoanalysis And Current Biological Thought

Freud and the Politics of Psychoanalysis is a sympathetic critique of Freud's work, tracing its political content and context from his early writings on hysteria to his late essays on civilization and religion. Brunner's central claim is that politics is a pervasive and essential component of all of Freud's discourse, since Freud viewed both the psyche and society primarily as constellations of power and domination. Brunner shows that when read politically, Freud's discourse can be seen to unite mechanics and meaning into a plausible, fruitful and internally consistent theory of the mind, therapy, family and society.Part one deals with the medical and political background of Freud's work. It explains how Freud postulated mental principles that were the same for all races and nations. The second part is concerned with the logic and language of Freud's theory of the mind. Brunner also details how Freud introduced dynamics of dominance and subjugation into the very core of the psyche. Part three addresses dynamics of power in the clinical setting, which Freud forged out of a curious blend of authoritarian and liberal elements. Brunner focuses on how this setting creates an arena for verbal politics. He also examines various social factors that influenced the therapeutic practice of psychoanalysis, such as class, gender and education. Part four explores Freud's analysis of the family and large-scale social institutions. Though Brunner is critical of the authoritarian bias in Freud's social theory, he suggests that it provides a useful vocabulary to unmask hidden psychological aspects of domination and subjection. This is an essential book for those interested in the history of ideas and psychoanalysis.Josu Brunner is Senior Lecturer at the Buchmann Faculty of Law and the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, both at Tel Aviv University. Born in Zorich, Switzerland, he has been living in Israel for most of the last three decades. He is author of numerous publications on the history and politics of psychoanalysis and contemporary political theory.

Modern Psychoanalys is is a definitive exploration of the expanding horizons of this still controversial approach to and treatment of human behavior. In the first paperback release of a work sponsored by the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, thirty-five authorities explore new approaches to psychoanalytic theory and therapy, and examine the growing interaction between this field and the other social and behavioral sciences. Modern Psychoanalysis demonstrates how some of the leading figures are bringing their discipline into the mainstream of biological and social through!making use of systems theory, information processing, the constructs of adaptation and learning, and other new tools and findings. The book is unusually free of the jargon that has separated psychoanalysis in the past from the rest of behavioral and social science. Some of the authors and their subjects are: Roy Grinker, "Conceptual Progress in Analysis"; Jin-gen Ruesch, "Psychoanalysis between Two Cultures"; Edward Tauber, "Dreaming and Modern Dream Theory"; Jules Masserman, "The Biody-namic Roots of Psychoanalysis"; Lewis H. Wolberg, "Short-term Psychotherapy"; Stuart M. Finch and Albert Cain, "Psychoanalysis of Children"; Morris Parloff, "Analytic Group Psychotherapy"; Salvador Minuchin, "The Low Socioeconomic Population"; Leonard Duhl and Robert Leopold, "Psychoanalysis and Social Agencies"; Leo'n Edel, "Psychoanalysis and the Creative Arts"; Arnold A. Rogow, "Psychiatry, History and Political Science"; and John R. Seeley, "Psychiatry: Revolution, Reform and Reaction." The volume is prepared with the rigor and comprehensiveness that should make the book a standard handbook for psychiatrists, psychologists, and behavioral scientists. And it is written with a sense of curious readers who may simply be interested in the basic stances of this controversial field of theory and practice. It has earned sufficient plaudits to be called a classic in the field. Judd Manner's new introduction gives added weight to such claims.

Tracing the line of succession from Sigmund Freud, through Melanie Klein to Fairbairn and Winnicott, Judith Hughes demonstrates the internal development of the British school of psychoanalysis and the coherence of its legacy. Both lay reader and professional will find the book illuminating.