This book provides a timely exploration and comparison of key concepts in the theories of Melanie Klein and Jacques Lacan, two thinkers and clinicians whose influence over the development of psychoanalysis in the wake of Freud has been profound and far-reaching. Whilst the centrality of the unconscious is a strong conviction shared by both Klein and Lacan, there are also many differences between the two schools of thought and the clinical work that is produced in each. The purpose of this collection is to take seriously these similarities and differences.

Deeply relevant to both theoretical reflection and clinical work, the New Klein-Lacan Dialogues should make interesting reading for psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, mental health professionals, scholars and all those who wish to know more about these two leading figures in the field of psychoanalysis.

The collection centres around key concepts such as: 'symbolic function', the 'ego', the 'object', the 'body', 'trauma', 'autism', 'affect' and 'history and archives'. The authors are internationally renowned writers and clinicians and include: Eva Bahovec, Lionel Bailly, Rachel Blass, Ronald Britton, Catalina Bronstein, Bernard Burgoyne, Robert Hinshelwood, Roberto Ileyassoff, Marie-Christine Laznik, Elias Mallet da Rocha Barros, Catherine Mathelin-Vanier, Maria Rhode, Elisabeth Roudinesco, Richard Rusbridger, Michael Rustin , Paul Verhaeghe and Marcus Vieria.

Re-opening a dialogue first attempted with great success in 1995 ('The Klein-Lacan Dialogues', organised by Catalina Bronstein and Bernard Burgoyne), this book is based on a new international seminar series collaboratively organised by colleagues at UCL, Middlesex University, and the Royal College of Art and held in 2011 under the auspices of the UCL Psychoanalysis Unit.

 

Edited by
Julia Borossa, Catalina Bronstein,
and Claire Pajaczkowska

 

Content:

An introduction to Melanie Klein’s ideas 
Catalina Bronstein

An introduction to Lacan 
Bernard Burgoyne

Klein–Lacan: ego 
Lionel Bailly

 

The ego according to Klein: return to Freud and beyond 
Rachel B. Blass

The ego and the other in Lacan’s return to Freud 
Eva D. Bahovec

The object 
Lionel Bailly

The object: a Kleinian view 
Robert D. Hinshelwood

 

The object in Klein and Lacan 
Roberto Ileyassoff

 

Klein–Lacan: the body 
Lionel Bailly

 

Corporeality and unconscious phantasy: the role of the body in Kleinian theory
Catalina Bronstein

Lacan on the body 
Paul Verhaeghe

 

Klein–Lacan: trauma 
Lionel Bailly

 

Trauma in Kleinian psychoanalysis 
Ronald Britton

 

Trauma 
Catherine Vanier

 

Affects 
Lionel Bailly

 

Affects in Melanie Klein 
Richard Rusbridger

 

Passion: a Lacanian reading of Freud’s “affect”
Marcus André Vieira

 

Autism 
Claire Pajaczkowska

A Kleinian approach to the treatment of children  with autism
Maria Rhode


Lacan and autism 
Marie Christine Laznik

The Symbolic 
Lionel Bailly

Symbolism, emotions, and mental growth 
Elias Mallet da Rocha Barros and 
Elizabeth Lima da Rocha Barros

Symbolic functioning
Bernard Burgoyne

Why Klein–Lacan dialogue is difficult 
Michael Rustin

History, archives; Freud, Lacan 
Elisabeth Roudinesco (translated by Julia Borossa)