Psychoanalysis and Community

Abstract

The paper examines the positive and negative aspects of the relation of psychoanalysis with: 1) the academic and professional community, 2) the cultural and artistic community, and, 3) the community in general, and its most problematic groups. Even though psychoanalysis has developed a strong identity within the discipline, its professional and academic status has not been defined or transmited clearly enough to the university community, and to the institutions relating to mental health and to the population. Perhaps this situation arose as a response to the needs of other times, but nowadays such unclear definitions are neither a benefit for our discipline or for the community. Regarding the field of culture, this paper suggests the convenience of reinforcing a truly interdisciplinary dialogue, starting with an open debate of the underlying philosophical and cultural assumptions of our diverse psychoanalytic theories. Finally, some areas within the Latin American community that show critical problems are pointed out, followed by a discussion on what could be the contribution of psychoanalysis to this respect, and on the beneficial effects that facing these challenges may have for the psychoanalytic societies.