THE USE OF PSYCHOANALYTIC CONSTRUCTS IN THE SERVICE OF EMPIRE: Comment on Baruch (2003)

The author believes that there is an extra-analytic space for articulating that which is beyond analysts' work with patients and for informing their understanding of history, culture, politics, gender, power, and other phenomena. The rules that govern psychoanalysts' "analysis" of these extra-analytic phenomena are, however, different from those that govern their work with patients. The complexities and vicissitudes of psychoanalytic discourse within analysts' clinical frame (their standard clinical practice) are different for phenomena on the "outside." In addition, clinical psychoanalytic discourse cannot stand outside the powerful narratives of power, gender, race, class, and empire. A psychoanalytic perspective is important in addressing extra-analytic issues only after analysts understand their relationship to power, gender, race, class, and empire. Just as analysts check themselves with supervision and careful countertransference reflection, they must also check themselves when they engage in extra-analytic work.