Psychoanalysis, Catastrophe & Social Action

Psychoanalysis, Catastrophe & Social Action is the winner of the IAJS Book Award 2023 for Best Applied Book. It explores how political subjectivity arises in the context of global catastrophe through the emergence of collective individuations through trans-subjectivity. The book offers clinical illustrations, an auto-ethnographic study, and an examination of care expressions in response to COVID-19. It is a valuable resource for psychoanalysts, therapists, psychologists, group therapists, philosophers, and political activists.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 172 pages
Publication date: 29 September 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Winner of the IAJS Book Award 2023 for Best Applied Book

This captivating volume delves into the intricate dynamics of political subjectivity within the framework of global catastrophe, employing psychoanalytic theory to explore the emergence of collective individuations through trans-subjectivity. Serving as a pivotal point for addressing the structural connections between collective disaster, subjectivity, group formation, and political transformation, trans-subjectivity emerges as the central concept of the book, conceptualized as a psyche-social dynamic that propels social transformation and holds potential for enhancement within clinical settings.

Throughout each chapter, the author meticulously investigates distinct manifestations of trans-subjectivity in relation to various real-world events as they manifest clinically within the analytic couple and within group processes. By employing a psyche/social interpretation of Kristeva's theory of signification (sublimation), Lacan's 1945 essay on collective logic, Heidegger's secular reading of the apostle Paul's Christian revolution, and Žižek, Badiou, and Jung's conception of the neighbor within a differentiated humanity, the author constructs her conceptual arguments.

The book is enriched with clinical illustrations, an auto-ethnographic study of the emergence of an AIDS clinic, an account of trans-subjectivity in Black revolutionary events in the United States, and an examination of some expressions of care that emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Psychoanalysis, Catastrophe & Social Action is an essential reading for psychoanalysts, psycho-dynamic-based therapists, psychologists, group therapists, philosophers, and political activists alike. It offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between psychoanalysis, catastrophe, and social action, contributing to our understanding of the human condition in times of crisis.

Weight: 298g
Dimension: 155 x 233 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367683184