Reflections on Contemporary Psychoanalytic Thought

Over the past decade, the Portuguese Psychoanalytical Society took the opportunity to restructure and redefine their organisation. As part of this process, they invited outstanding psychoanalysts from all over the world to present their thoughts, reflections, and clinical investigations. These conferences, workshops, and working groups helped shape the modern society, bringing in vibrant new ideas. Reflections on Contemporary Psychoanalytic Thought showcases the best of these significant contributions with chapters from David Bell, Franco Borgogno, Luis J. Martín Cabré, R. D. Hinshelwood, Howard B. Levine, Andrea Marzi, Sérgio Eduardo Nick, Leopold Nosek, Fernando Orduz, Éric Smadja, and Virginia Ungar. Each chapter begins with an introduction from one of the editors, Rui Aragão Oliveira, Maria José Gonçalves, and João Diniz, which contextualises their impact at the time, the transformations they brought about, and their continuing relevance to the psychoanalytic community. A treasure trove of cutting-edge psychoanalytic ideas from leading critical thinkers, it brings insights into institutional dynamics, Freud and culture, virtual space and identity, the contemporary hysterical body, misogyny, the psychoanalytic community, suicide, the ideas of Sándor Ferenczi, and much more. Grouped into two stimulating sections – Psychoanalysis and contemporaneity and Theory of psychoanalytic technique – the book is an absolute must-read for psychoanalysts and will be of interest to other mental health professionals, students, and all open to engaging with contemporary psychoanalytic concepts.