PA936-7-AU-CO:
The Psychic Life of Gender
2023/24
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
24 August 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA C89012 Psychoanalytic Studies,
MA C89024 Psychoanalytic Studies,
MA C890MO Psychoanalytic Studies,
MA L32112 Gender and Sexuality Studies,
MPHDC89048 Psychoanalytic Studies,
PHD C89048 Psychoanalytic Studies
This module focusses on the psychoanalytic case study as a distinct genre of writing in the Humanities and as a Social-Scientific method through which knowledge claims about gender and sexuality are constructed, contested, and reconfigured. Across the module, we will consider topics such as the history of hysteria as a female complaint; the gendered politics of the Oedipal schema; the relationship between gender identity and identification; the "queering" of desire; sexuality and the so-called "perversions"; and the binary organization of sex. Students will become familiar with psychoanalytic concepts and frameworks, and learn how to situate them historically and critically with reference to other discourses of sex, gender and sexuality (e.g. sexology, feminism, queer theory).
Structure:
An emphasis on the case study brings a methodological focus to the module and provides students with distinct reading and research skills. By spending consecutive weeks on a 'single' case, we develop familiarity with a set of reading and writing practices such as iterative and 'contrapuntal' reading; close and 'distant' reading; practices of 'writing through' and 'writing back'. We also incorporate a practical workshop on the 'Single Case Archive' which foregrounds the epistemological debates in the social sciences regarding case study methodology. With our methodological framing in place (weeks 1; 2; 3), we then move on to our cases.
We begin with one of Freud's 'big five' case studies, 'Dora' (weeks 4; 5; 7). From a close reading of Freud's primary text, we pay special attention to the principle of psychic bisexuality, the nature of the symptom, and the gendered dynamics of the counter-/transference. Over the subsequent two weeks we sample some of the psychoanalytic, feminist, and inter-textual readings of the case that have attempted to re-voice Ida Bauer and thus ensured 'Dora's' relevance to the field of gender and sexuality studies well beyond her 'treatment' with Freud.
We close with 'Agnes' (week 8; 9; 10). Agnes can be read as the first psycho-social case study of a transitioning person, as well as a kind of 'test case' in the studies of gender identity as they were evolving in the mid-twentieth century. In our examination of this case, we pay attention to the co-construction of 'Agnes' by multiple disciplines and disciplinary authorities (principally, Robert Stoller and Harold Garfinkle). Again, through practices of re-reading, we go on to explore the place of 'Agnes' in contemporary transgender debates.
1. To introduce students to the sizable body of literature on psychoanalysis and gender.
2, To introduce students to interdisciplinary reading and writing practices associated with the case study.
3. To foster in students a critical awareness of gender as a social and discursive construct
4. To enable students to productively identify and critique the historical limitations of psychoanalysis with regard to contemporary perspectives on gender and sexuality.
1. An understanding of key psychoanalytic concepts and frameworks for the study of gender and sexuality.
2. A secure understanding of key debates in the social sciences (and psychotherapy research) regarding the case study method.
3. An appreciation of the case study as a genre in the Humanities disciplines.
4. Familiarity with relevant feminist and queer literature on psychoanalysis including an awareness of the political limitations of some psychoanalytic formulations of gender and/or sex.
5. A critical and historically informed sensitivity to contemporary debates on sex, gender and sexuality,
1. Introduction
2. Making the case: A Social Sciences perspective
Pre-class engagement with www.singlecasearchive.com
3. Making the case: A Humanities / Literary perspective
4. 'Dora' (1)
5. 'Dora' (2)
6. Reading Week
7. 'Dora' (3)
8. 'Agnes' (1)
9. Agnes (2)
10. Agnes (3)
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Berlant, L. (2007b) ‘On the Case’,
Critical Inquiry, 33(4), pp. 663–672. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1086/521564.
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Freud, S.
et al. (1953a) ‘Case histories of Anna O (pp. 19-47) and Lucy R. (pp. 106-124).’, in
The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (vol. 2). London: Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis. Available at:
https://pep-web-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/browse/document/SE.002.0000A?page=PR0004.
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Mattias Desmet et al. (2013b) ‘Psychoanalytic Single Cases Published in ISI-Ranked Journals: The Construction of an Online Archive’,
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(2). Available at:
https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/48515272?sid=primo#metadata_info_tab_contents.
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Willemsen, Jochem?; Della Rosa, Elena?; Kegerreis, Sue (2017b) ‘Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Treatment’,
Frontiers in Psychology, 8. Available at:
http://repository.essex.ac.uk/19123/.
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Adam Phillips (2003b) ‘Making the Case: Freud’s Literary Engagements’,
Profession [Preprint]. Available at:
https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/25595752?sid=primo.
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Geertz, C. and Darnton, R. (2017) ‘Thick description: toward an interpretive theory of culture’, in The interpretation of cultures: selected essays. Third edition. New York: Basic Books.
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Freud, S.
et al. (1953b) ‘“Fragment of an analysis of a case of hysteria” [“Dora”], (1905), 1-122.’, in
The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud (vol. 7). London: Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis. Available at:
https://pep-web-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/browse/document/SE.007.0000A?page=PR0004.
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Lacan, J. and Fink, B. (2006) ‘‘Presentation on Transference‘’, in Écrits: the first complete edition in English. New York: W.W. Norton, pp. 176–188.
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Bernheimer, C. and Kahane, C. (1985c) ‘“Intervention on Transference”’, in
In Dora’s case: Freud, hysteria, feminism. London: Virago, pp. 92–104. Available at:
https://www-degruyter-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/document/doi/10.7312/bern91530-007/html.
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Dir. Kate Novack (no date) ‘Hysterical Girl (Short 2020).’ Available at:
https://youtu.be/YKgxJOBw1c8?si=_0DZqIpEqsKYR-N6.
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Rose, J (1985) ‘“Dora: Fragment of an Analysis”’, in In Dora’s case: Freud, hysteria, feminism. London: Virago, pp. 128–148.
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Ramas, M. (1985) ‘“Freud”s Dora, Dora’s Hysteria’’, in
In Dora’s case: Freud, hysteria, feminism. London: Virago, pp. 149–180. Available at:
https://www-degruyter-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/document/doi/10.7312/bern91530-010/html.
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STOLLER, R.J. (1960) ‘Passing and the Maintenance of Sexual Identification in an Intersexed Patient’,
Archives of General Psychiatry, 2(4). Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1960.03590100019002.
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Garfinkel, H. (1984) ‘“Passing and the managed achievement of sex status in an intersex person, part 1”’, in Studies in ethnomethodology. Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 116–185.
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Joan Riviere (no date) ‘Womanliness as a Masquerade’,
International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 10, pp. 303–313. Available at:
https://pep-web-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/browse/document/IJP.010.0303A?page=P0303.
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Forrester, J. (2017a) ‘“Inventing Gender Identity: The Case of Agnes”’, in Thinking in cases. Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 127–139.
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Walsh, Julie (2020) ‘Confusing cases: Forrester, Stoller, Agnes, woman’,
History of the Human Sciences, 33. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/0952695119897875.
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dir. Chase Joynt (no date) ‘Framing Agnes (2022).’
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Coursework |
Psychic Life of Gender: Explorations in the Case Study |
|
20% |
Coursework |
Psychic Life of Gender: Explorations in the Case Study |
|
20% |
Coursework |
Psychic Life of Gender: Explorations in the Case Study |
|
60% |
Additional coursework information
Case Study Archive skills test
Descriptive Writing skills test
1 x 3000 word essay
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Chenyang Wang, email: cwangab@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Chenyang Wang
Email ppspgt@essex.ac.uk Room 5A.202
No
Yes
Yes
Dr James Burford
Warwick University
Assistant Professor of Global Education and International Development
Available via Moodle
Of 18 hours, 18 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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