Book Review: Eli Zaretsky, Political Freud: A History
| Author | Antonis Galanopoulos |
| Published date | 01 February 2017 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1478929916676933 |
| Date | 01 February 2017 |
| Subject Matter | Book ReviewsPolitical Theory |
97
Political Freud: A History by Eli Zaretsky.
talism, at least until the mid-1970s (p. 16). On
New York: Columbia University Press, 2015.
the other hand, Zaretsky, on many occasions,
228pp., £24.00 (h/b), ISBN 9780231172448
limits the scope of the analysis, focusing too
much on Freud himself rather than on his
In Political Freud, Eli Zaretsky attempts
theory. This creates weak assessments and con-
to offer us a new perspective on political
troversial analyses. Chapter 3, which is mostly
Freudianism. Zaretsky intervenes in the debate
based on the analysis of Freud’s relationship to
around the relation of psychoanalysis and polit-
his Jewishness, is a characteristic example.
ical theory by returning back to Freud, who – in
In conclusion, the book demonstrates con-
his view – was political from the very begin-
vincingly enough that Freudian psychoanalysis
ning. The book is an historical account of the
is not a simple psychotherapeutic tool but is
political role and character of Freudian psycho-
inherently political.
analysis. Political Freud consists of five main
chapters which are previously published essays
Antonis Galanopoulos
by Zaretsky, and each one deals with a specific
(Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
topic: capitalism, racism, anti-Semitism, war,
feminism and the New Left.
© The Author(s) 2016
The most important chapter of the book is
Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/1478929916676933
the first in which the author designates the
journals.sagepub.com/home/psrev
context of the entire book. The following
chapters are moments of a narrative that has
already been drawn in the opening chapter.
International Relations
The main purpose of the book is to highlight
how psychoanalysis influenced and was influ-
enced by the capitalist transformations of the
Transnational Gas Markets and
twentieth century. Freudian psychoanalysis is,
Euro-Russian Energy Relations by Andr...
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