History and Psychoanalysis since 1945

The Second World War elevated psychoanalysis to a new social and political role in Europe and the US as well as in postcolonial societies. Under the shock of bombing and evacuation and mass killings of civilians, state officials, journalists, educationalists, radio broadcasters and others turned to psychoanalysis for help in explaining societies and selves.

This turned out to be a decisive moment both for the history of psychoanalysis and for expectations of selfhood, citizenship, gender, childhood, and the welfare and post-colonial state. This book is the first historical, interdisciplinary book to provide a multi-angled study of the contribution of psychoanalysis to the shaping of post-war society.