Table Of ContentROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF
PSYCHOANALYTIC POLITICAL THEORY
The emerging field of psychoanalytic political theory has now reached a stage in its development
and rapid evolution that deserves to be registered, systematically defined, and critically evaluated.
This handbook provides the first reference volume which showcases the current state of
psychoanalytic political theory, maps the genealogy of its development, identifies its conceptual
and methodological resources, and highlights its analytical innovations and its critical promise.
The handbook consists of 35 chapters, offering original, comprehensive, and critical reviews of
this field of study. The chapters are divided into five thematic sections:
• The figures section discusses the work of major psychoanalytic theorists who have
considerably influenced the development of psychoanalytic political theory.
• The traditions section genealogically recounts and critically reassesses the many attempts
throughout the 20th century of experimenting with the articulation between psychoanalysis
and political theory in a consistent way.
• The concepts section asks what are the concepts that psychoanalysis offers for appropriation
by political theory.
• The themes section presents concrete examples of how psychoanalytic political theory can be
productively applied in the analysis of racism, gender, nationalism, consumerism, and so on.
• The challenges/controversies section captures how psychoanalytic political theory can lead
the way toward theoretical and analytical innovation in many disciplinary fields that deal
with cutting-edge issues.
The Routledge Handbook of Psychoanalytic Political Theory will serve as a scholarly reference volume
for all students and researchers studying political theory, psychoanalysis, and the history of ideas.
Yannis Stavrakakis studied political science in Athens and Essex. He worked at the Universities
of Essex and Nottingham before taking up a position at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
in 2006. His research focuses primarily on contemporary political theory (with emphasis on
psychoanalytic and post-structuralist approaches) and on the analysis of ideology and discourse
in late modern societies (with emphasis on populism, environmentalism, post-democracy, and
the role of artistic practices).
“The Routledge Handbook of Psychoanalytic Political Theory introduces the reader into a new but
rapidly growing field in the social sciences. It provides key texts by well known scholars on the
ways in which psychoanalytic theory and practice have an impact on the political order. The
editor Yannis Stavrakakis provides an illuminating and extensive introduction which explains the
general organisation and the basic themes and controversies. There is no doubt that the book
will be a vital tool for those who want to explore and develop further the variety of theoretical/
conceptual frameworks that the volume provides. It will also be useful to researchers who want
to study empirically the influence of psychoanalytic approaches to themes and controversies in
the areas of feminism, nationalism, consumerism, populism etc.”
—Nicos Mouzelis, Emeritus Professor of Sociology,
London School of Economics, UK
“Far from simply serviceable and convenient, this Routledge Handbook of Psychoanalytic Political
Theory is handy in the robust, Chaucerian sense. Intellectually challenging and urgent, it explains
the crucial, updated psychoanalytical concepts now impacting political theory, while provid-
ing a clear account of the various ways in which psychoanalysis and political theory related
to each other previously. While the interventions of Freud and Lacan are, rightly, privileged,
other formidable psychoanalytic figures also receive fresh attention. This is a volume that will
be treasured.”
—Joan Copjec,
Professor of Modern Culture and Media, Brown University, USA
ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK
OF PSYCHOANALYTIC
POLITICAL THEORY
Edited by Yannis Stavrakakis
EDITORIAL BOARD:
STEPHEN FROSH, LYNNE LAYTON, AND DANY NOBUS
First published 2020
by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Taylor & Francis
The right of Yannis Stavrakakis to be identified as the author of the
editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-138-69631-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-52477-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
CONTENTS
List of Diagrams ix
List of Contributors x
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction 1
Yannis Stavrakakis
PART I
Figures 17
1 Sigmund Freud 19
Stephen Frosh
2 Melanie Klein 31
R. D. Hinshelwood
3 Jacques Lacan 44
Dominiek Hoens
4 Wilhelm Reich 57
Christopher Turner
5 Carl Jung 67
Peter T. Dunlap
v
Contents
PART II
Traditions 81
6 Marcuse and the Freudian Left 83
Douglas Kellner
7 Lacanian Left 95
Sean Homer
8 Psychoanalytic Feminism 107
Lisa Baraitser
9 Critical Management Studies 122
Alessia Contu
PART III
Concepts 137
10 Superego and the Law 139
Todd McGowan
11 (Liberal) Narcissism 151
Robert Samuels
12 Affect and Emotion 162
Candida Yates
13 Trauma 174
Marshall Alcorn
14 Fantasy 187
Matthew Sharpe and Kirk Turner
15 Identification (With the Aggressor) 199
Jay Frankel
16 Mourning and Melancholia 208
Claudia Lapping
17 Language and Discourse 221
Ed Pluth
18 Collective Subjects 233
Campbell Jones
vi
Contents
PART IV
Themes 249
19 Sexuality 251
Eran Dorfman
20 Hate 261
C. Fred Alford
21 Racism 272
Derek Hook
22 Nationalism 285
Amanda Machin
23 Capitalism 296
Samo Tomšič
24 Choice and Consumerism 307
Renata Salecl
25 Religion and Islamic Radicalization 316
Andrea Mura
26 Populism 330
Paula Biglieri and Gloria Perelló
27 Arts 341
Cecilia Sjöholm
PART V
Challenges and Controversies 353
28 Psychoanalytic Geopolitics 355
Dany Nobus
29 Psy Ethics 369
Ian Parker
30 Neoliberalism 380
Valerie Walkerdine
31 Migration and Diversity 392
Nikolay Mintchev and Henrietta L. Moore
vii
Contents
32 Biopolitics 405
A. Kiarina Kordela
33 The Climate Crisis 417
Sally Weintrobe
34 Post-politics 429
Olivier Jutel
35 Posthuman Identities 443
Anthony Elliott
Index 457
viii
DIAGRAMS
3.1 Lacan’s Four Discourses 53
17.1 Lacan’s Algorithm for the Linguistic Sign 224
17.2 Saussure’s Diagram for the Linguistic Sign 224
17.3 Formula for Metonymy 225
17.4 Formula for Metaphor 226
ix
