Freud's "On Narcissism: An Introduction"

Synopsis:

Contributors: Willy Baranger, David Bell, R. Horacio Etchegoyen, Peter Fonagy, León Grinberg, Béla Grünberger, Heinz Henseler, Otto F. Kernberg, Paul H. Ornstein, Ethel Spector Person, Joseph Sandler, Hanna Segal, Nikolaus Treurniet, Clifford Yorke

"On Narcissism: An Introduction" is a densely packed essay dealing with ideas that are still being debated today – from the role of narcissism in normal and pathological development and the relationship of narcissism to homosexuality, libido, romantic love, and self-esteem to issues of therapeutic intervention. The contributors place the work in the context of Freud’s evolving thinking, point out its innovations, review its problematic aspects, and examine how its theoretical concepts have been elaborated more recently by analysts of diverse theoretic persuasions. In addition, they use Freud’s text to chart new developments in psychoanalysis and point toward still unresolved problems. An introduction by Joseph Sandler, Ethel Spector Person, and Peter Fonagy provides a succinct overview of the material.

Notes about the author(s):

Joseph Sandler qualified as a psychoanalyst in the British Psychoanalytical Society. He was the Freud Memorial Professor of Psychoanalysis in the University of London and Director of the Psychoanalysis Unit at University College London, and in private practice in London. He was formerly the first Sigmund Freud Professor of Psychoanalysis at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Editor of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis and the International Review of Psychoanalysis, and was President of the International Psychoanalytical Association.

Ethel Spector Person is director and training and supervising analyst at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research and professor of clinical psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University.

Peter Fonagy is Freud Memorial Professor of Psychoanalysis and Director of the Sub-Department of Clinical Health Psychology at University College London. He is Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre, London. He is a clinical psychologist and a training and supervising analyst in the British Psychoanalytical Society in child and adult analysis. He has published over 200 chapters and articles and has authored or edited several books.