In this weighty compendium of developments in Freudian
psychoanalysis throughout Western Europe and the US from the turn
of the century to 1985, sociologist Kurzweil, executive editor of
Partisan Review, accounts for current differences in methodology by
examining an array of social and cultural influences. Beginning
with the earliest reception of Freud's work here and in Germany,
France, England, and Austria, Kurzweil evaluates the reactions in
scientific communities to psychoanalysis, thereby exposing the
roots of subsequent theoretical divergences. A rereading of the
minutes of early meetings, Freud's correspondence, memoirs, and
other sources highlights these disparate predilections within and
between psychoanalytic organizations prior to WW II; but the main
investigative tool here is the secondary literature, from Ernest
Jones' extensive biography to the more recent psychobiological
portrait by Frank Sullowsy. The composition of these organizations
- the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) and its
American offshoot (AFA), among others - and their respective
positions with regard to scientific and cultural trends receive
close attention. Leaving few stones unturned, the author measures
the activity of Freudians in literary and critical circles, in
politics, and in the feminist movement, with the roles of female
adherents such as Melanie Klein and Anna Freud assessed in detail.
Earlier chapters probe the first cracks in the unity of
psychoanalytic thinking, which gave rise to the camps of Jung and
Adler. while later ones document the entrenchment of variants
within Freudian groups, such as the IPA and APA, within which
issues such as the "medicalization" of psychoanalytic practice and
ego psychology were hotly contested. In this context, the dominance
in postwar French psychoanalysis of Jacques Lacan receives special
attention. While lapsing on occasion into academic prose and
tending to stitch sources together rather than offering a point of
view, the breadth of information and Kurzweil's synthesis are
invaluable. A well-documented and thorough overview. (Kirkus
Reviews)
Every country unconsciously creates the psychoanalysis it needs,
says Edith Kurzweil. Freudians everywhere, even the most orthodox,
are influenced by national traditions, interests, beliefs, and
institutions. In this original and stimulating book, Kurzweil
traces the ways in which psychoanalysis has evolved in Austria,
England, France, Germany, and the United States.
The author explains how psychoanalysis took root in each
country, outlines the history of various psychoanalytic institutes,
and describes how Freudian doctrine has been transmuted by
aesthetic values, behavioral mores, and political traditions of
different cultures. The Germans, for example, took Austrian
humanism and made it "scientific." The British developed object
relations. French psychoanalysts emphasized linguistics and
structuralism and developed an abiding fascination with text,
language, subtext, and plot structures.
In her new introduction, Kurzweil reexamines her argument that
countries develop their own psychoanalysis according to their
needs. She describes evidence supporting her theories and why they
continue to hold true today. She also discusses what led her to
write this book initially. The Freudians is a major work in
confirming the importance of psychoanalytic thought across national
and cultural boundaries.
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