• Echoes of the debate on autism and psychoanalysis reverberated around mainstream French media in April. French weekly news magazine Le Nouvel Observateur devoted a good proportion of its 19th April edition (front page above) to the current wave of opposition to psychoanalysis in France. Its cover story, carrying the title ‘Should we burn psychoanalysis?’, focuses on the most recent debates around autism sparked by Sophie Robert’s (now embargoed) film Le Mur, which continue to receive widespread media coverage as a result of the recent decision by France’s health authority to recommend against the use of psychoanalysis as a treatment method. The magazine also features an interview with philosopher Alain Badiou and historian of psychoanalysis Elisabeth Roudinesco, who take on the task of responding to these attacks by defending the place of psychoanalysis against encroachments by cognitivist/behavioural therapies. Links to download the magazine in full can be found at the bottom of this page.

 

 

In other news:

 

 

  • The Hong Kong-based Lacan Society has put videos from its recent cartel ‘encounter’. Watch them here.

 

  • Tom Eyers’ book, ‘Lacan and the Concept of the ‘Real’’ is due to be published by Palgrave Macmillan on 14th September. You can pre-order the book via the publishers here or via Amazon here.

 

  • The University of Toronto’s Psychiatry Department is currently in the process of hosting a course on the Écrits which will run up to 17th May. More information here.

 

  • The London Society of the New Lacanian School will be hosting a series of talks on Saturday 12th May looking at ‘Psychoanalytic Politics’. More information here.