Introduction
28 June 2022
In this edition, the editors of Psychoanalysis.today say goodbye to their readers and collaborators and present the latest issue of our electronic publication. The legacy of this intense international collaboration, which today completes seven years of existence, leaves as its legacy a set of archives available now for research and reading on the Psychoanalysis.today website, soon on the IPA and potentially other partner websites.
In this farewell, you will find articles from old editions, chosen by the respective editors to represent the universe of the published themes and power and richness of current topics presented as a result of the exchange between regions.
The Brazilian publisher, in turn, prints an unpublished article by one of its founders of Psychoanalysis.today, Leopold Nosek – ‘Requiem for a Utopia’ – which brings a reflection on the respect of the historical conditions that had allowed the creation of an international journal and analyses the forces that today lead to its interruption.
‘Psychoanalysis.today’, in the words of Liliana Pedrón, ‘was created as an international and inter-regional publication. Articles from all over the world, with a psychoanalytic and interdisciplinary vision, were presented as a result of a true team and individual work’.
It was years of intense work, which had resulted in 17 editions that had contemplated the psychoanalytic discussion of present poignant themes, thought from the perspective of different regions that embrace the diversity of IPA's theoretical-clinical thinking.
Psychoanalysis.today carried out the idealised project in 2015 under the chairmanship of Stefano Bolognini, from the construction of an international publication managed with equal participation between IPA, EPF, FEPAL, and APsaA/NAPsaC. With care and seriousness, it created content in five official languages, guaranteeing its readers access to the contribution of excellence produced in different latitudes.
Searching for diverse perspectives within the psychoanalytic culture, highlights Cristina Vasconcellos, the proposal of this international journal is inclusive, ‘fulfilling an important psychoanalysis role in the broader community, the one to offer resources to think about and elaborate the experiences that impact us today.’
In this perspective, Gouri Salvi adds that, ‘edition after edition, writers and publishers highlighted the universality of human emotions in a world dangerously dilacerated by conflicts, violence and exclusions. And we argued that curing the cracks, both internal and external, can only be done through deeper understanding bridges.’
We lived years of fruitful exchanges, which had resulted in great learning. Andrea Rutsch points out the importance of ‘building bridges and connections between countries, languages, psychoanalysts and those interested in psychoanalysis, that were made possible by the careful work of each co-editor and in their partnership with experienced translators’. Actually, we were able to share experiences and develop relevant content for reflection on the world in which we live, from the relationships between the individual and society, between the intrapsychic and the culture. Topics such as racism, violence, Fake News, pandemic, additions, sexuality and many others could be treated with consideration and respect for regional differences.
In this sense, asserts Chantal Duchêne-González, ‘Psychoanalyis.today had the merit of reflecting on the changes in our contemporary society. Its absence of dogmatism allowed us to embark on a true journey towards other psychoanalytic regions’.
The possibility of comparing ‘psychanalyses and psychoanalytic perspectives across cultures,’ adds A. Chris Heath, ‘is a way of distilling what is central to the human condition, bringing a mirror of enlightenment for ourselves, as well as a contrast to the intercultural confusion of languages’.
It was a path full of accomplishments and also of challenges. We fought to guarantee the continuity of our publication, facing political and financial difficulties.
Structurally, we had been working to adapt technology to our current needs. With regard to distribution, we have been investing with success and enthusiasm in the increasing of readers and in the expansion of the public interested in the publication.
Our work is now ending, due to the interruption of the IPA and component regions collaboration, which supported Psychoanalysis.today politically and financially. In her farewell words, Adrienne Harris expresses: - ‘I am very sorry that financial support has ceased to be possible and that the different regions had not felt really included or supporters of this project. I believe in the ‘International’ part of the IPA and I hope that we - as an international group - can find ways to collaborate in this period of tension’.
Finally, with hope that the spirit of Psychoanalysis.today remains in our psychoanalytic institution, we say goodbye to readers and collaborators,
Marina Kon Bilenky (FEPAL)
A.Chris Heath (APsaA-NAPsaC)
Adrienne E. Harris (APsaC-NAPsaC)
Andrea Maria Rutsch (EPF)
Chantal Duchêne-González (EPF)
Gouri Salvi (IPA)
Liliana Pedrón Martín (IPA)
Maria Cristina Garcia Vasconcellos (FEPAL)
Compiled by Marina Bilenky