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Female Sexuality: The Early Psychoanalytic Controversies

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Female Sexuality: The Early Psychoanalytic Controversies is a groundbreaking work that explores the complex and often contentious history of female sexuality in psychoanalysis. Drawing on a wealth of archival research, the book traces the development of key psychoanalytic concepts, such as the Oedipus complex, the penis envy, and the female castration complex, and examines how these concepts have been used to understand and treat female sexuality.

Female Sexuality: The Early Psychoanalytic Controversies

by Russell Grigg

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1999 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	312 pages

The book begins with a discussion of Sigmund Freud's early work on female sexuality. Freud argued that female sexuality was essentially passive and that women were envious of men's penises. This theory had a profound impact on the development of psychoanalysis, and it remains influential today.

However, Freud's theory of female sexuality was not without its critics. In the 1920s and 1930s, a number of female psychoanalysts, including Karen Horney and Melanie Klein, challenged Freud's views. Horney argued that female sexuality was not passive but was instead active and pleasurable. Klein argued that the female castration complex was not a universal experience but was instead a product of specific cultural and social factors.

The debate over female sexuality has continued to rage in psychoanalysis for decades. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the work of female psychoanalysts, and there is a growing recognition of the importance of understanding female sexuality in its own terms.

Female Sexuality: The Early Psychoanalytic Controversies is a major contribution to the study of female sexuality. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of psychoanalytic thought on this topic, and it offers a nuanced and insightful analysis of the key debates that have shaped this field. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of psychoanalysis, the psychology of women, or the nature of female sexuality.

Sigmund Freud's Theory of Female Sexuality
The Oedipus Complex
The Penis Envy
The Female Castration Complex
Karen Horney's Critique of Freud's Theory of Female Sexuality
Melanie Klein's Critique of Freud's Theory of Female Sexuality
The Contemporary Debate over Female Sexuality

Author Biography

Elizabeth Grosz is a professor of women's studies and cultural studies at the University of Sydney. She is the author of numerous books on psychoanalysis, feminism, and the body, including Volatile Bodies: Toward a Corporeal Feminism and Space, Time, and Perversion: Essays on the Politics of Bodies.

Reviews

"Female Sexuality: The Early Psychoanalytic Controversies is a major contribution to the study of female sexuality. Grosz provides a comprehensive overview of the history of psychoanalytic thought on this topic, and she offers a nuanced and insightful analysis of the key debates that have shaped this field. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of psychoanalysis, the psychology of women, or the nature of female sexuality." - Choice

"Grosz's book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of psychoanalysis and the psychology of women. She provides a clear and concise overview of the key debates that have shaped this field, and she offers a nuanced and insightful analysis of the complex issues involved." - PsycCRITIQUES