Lacan and Race: Racism, Identity, and Psychoanalytic Theory
Edited by Sheldon George, Derek Hook
The field of psychoanalysis, deeply influenced by Freud’s colonial and conservative perspectives, has historically adhered to the normative structures of his time. In this milieu, psychoanalysis emerges as a pharmakon, serving both as a remedy and a poison. Despite Lacan’s limited direct engagement with racism, his work offers valuable insights for dissecting racial structures and fantasies.
Lacan and Race: Racism, Identity, and Psychoanalytic Theory presents a rich anthology of essays, addressing a spectrum of topics from the psychoanalysis of indigeneity to the nuances of apartheid desire. A particularly notable chapter delves into Lacan’s interpretation of the Japanese writing system, adeptly navigating around Orientalist clichés.
Complementing Todd McGowan’s 'The Racist Fantasy: Unconscious Roots of Hatred,' this volume contributes bold and nuanced theories on race and racism. It challenges traditional psychoanalytic boundaries, examining how racial identification and racism influence the contemporary psyche without oversimplifying complex motivations. The book reevaluates and expands upon Slavoj Žižek's Lacanian and Fanonian analysis of racism, especially in relation to jouissance.
Amid prevalent discussions on white fragility and privilege theory, 'Lacan and Race' articulate a sophisticated understanding of subjectivity and racialized experiences.
“Like it or not, the past can in no way guide me in the present moment” (Fanon 1967: 225). Revivalism or “rediscovering [a black] tradition” is only a “defense mechanism” (Fanon 1967a: 42). It substitutes one imaginary with another. Neither mourning nor celebrating pasts when the colonized were kings, philosophers, and inventors reserves the force to correct discourses of white privilege.”
This book stands as a pivotal collection of thoughts, offering profound psychoanalytic perspectives to decode race and racism, thus marking a significant advancement in both Lacanian theory and race studies.