Feminism and Psychoanalytic Theory

Product Description In this long-awaited book, a leading psychoanalytic feminist traces the development of her views on the psychodynamics, sociology, and culture of gender. Expanding upon her pathbreaking work in The Reproduction of Mothering and combining significant new writings with previously published essays, Nancy J. Chodorow elucidates how the unconscious awareness of self and gender we develop from earliest infancy continues to shape both our experience as men and women and the patterns of inequality and difference that exist throughout our society and culture.  "Chodorow is an exceptionally intelligent and serious writer, and her contribution to the debate on gender and sexual identity is substantial. . . . Through her deepening reflections on gender issues and her study of the reality of women's lives, Ms. Chodorow puts both Freud and feminism to the test."-Stuart Schneiderman, New York Times Book Review "In [a book] teeming with ideas, Chodorow . . . explores issues such as the influence of maternal care on the emerging self, social oppression of women on the basis of presumed gender differences, Oedipal conglict, heterosexual identification, and women analysts."-Publishers Weekly "These essays are as good a statement of the issues in feminist psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic feminism as I have seen, reflecting the knowledge and questions of an 'insider' in both areas. One is impressed by the richness of the implications drawn from observed constellations or relationships. This is book that should be of interest to a wide audience."-Malkah T. Notman, M.D., Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association "All readers will profit from reading all of the articles in historical sequence. Her own changes reflect some general trends in feminist and social science thought."-Miriam M. Johnson, Contemporary Sociology From Publishers Weekly Matricentric Berkeley sociology professor Chodorow challenges Freud's sexist assumptions about female limitations, citing his own theory that masculinity and femininity are not predetermined. She also finds the individualist theories of psychoanalytic heavyweights Herbert Marcuse and Norman O. Brown contrary to human solidarity. ``Ten dense essays teeming with ideas,'' said PW. Copyright 1991 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From the Back Cover In this important book, a leading feminist theorist traces the development of her views on the psychodynamics and culture of gender, drawing on her understanding of psychoanalysis as well as on her background in sociology and anthropology.