Critical Social Thought 251 - Psychoanalytic Theory

An introduction to the contested terrain of psychoanalytic theory, which has so hugely influenced twentieth-century thought. Reading widely across Freud's work and that of his colleagues, we will situate key ideas--repression, desire, masochism, neurosis, sublimation, feminine/masculine personality, etc.--within a range of interpretive frameworks. Intensive class discussions, oral presentations, and small group projects will allow students to analyze the varied implications of psychoanalytic theory for contemporary thinking about individuals and society.