Psychoanalysis and the Politics of the Family: The Crisis of Initiation

Psychoanalysis and the Politics of Family aims to raise a sophisticated and accessible debate around the family, self-making, and the political and cultural implications of liberation. It proposes a new way to read the Lacanian theory of Oedipus and resituates a series of important political and theoretical debates that have concerned intellectual life over the last forty years.

Format: Hardback
Length: 139 pages
Publication date: 13 February 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Psychoanalysis and the Politics of Family is a groundbreaking work that seeks to engage in a sophisticated and accessible debate surrounding the family, self-making, and the political and cultural implications of liberation. The text proposes a novel interpretation of the Lacanian theory of Oedipus, which in turn leads to a re-examination of several critical political and theoretical debates that have occupied the intellectual landscape for the past forty years. Written in a clear and accessible style, the text is designed to appeal to a wide range of readers, including specialists in Lacanian and Marxist theory as well as those with a general interest in understanding the implications of debates across populist and Marxist perspectives that have dominated the global left since the 2008 economic crisis.

The primary objective of the text is to re-situate the way theories of emancipation and liberation are theorized from a distinctive psychoanalytic and Lacanian point of view. By re-examining the infamous "Oedipus complex" in a new light, the text opens up a series of debates with important theoretical interlocutors, including the influential American historian and psychoanalytic thinker Christopher Lasch, whose thought has experienced a significant resurgence of interest in recent times. Lasch's work, known for its critical exploration of the social and cultural implications of modernity, has been particularly influential in shaping contemporary debates about the family, self-making, and the political.

In addition to Lasch, the text engages with the thought of René Girard, a staunch critic of Freud and Lacan. Girard's work, which emphasizes the role of sacrifice and scapegoating in human societies. The text also discusses the widely read Anti-Oedipus series by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, which disputes the Freudian and Lacanian notions of Oedipus and offers a alternative understanding of the origins of desire and subjectivity.

Through its comprehensive analysis and engaging writing style, Psychoanalysis and the Politics of Family provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the family, self-making, and the political. The text offers a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between these three domains and highlights the ways in which they are shaped by broader social and cultural forces. By exploring the implications of debates across populist and Marxist perspectives, the text encourages readers to think critically about the challenges and opportunities that arise in contemporary society.

In conclusion, Psychoanalysis and the Politics of Family is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of the family, self-making, and the political. The text offers a sophisticated and accessible approach to these topics, which is sure to engage and inspire readers from a wide range of backgrounds. By re-examining the infamous "Oedipus complex" in a new light and engaging with a range of critical theoretical interlocutors, the text provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of the global left.

Weight: 360g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030940690
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022