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A groundbreaking revision of the psychoanalytic theory of sexuality and its centrality to mental life, distinguishing between adult and infantile states of mind, and between infantile polymorphous and infantile perverse sexuality. Meltzer traces the history of the psychoanalytical theory of psychosexual development and clinical sexual psychopathology from Freud through Abraham, Klein, and Bion. Next, he presents his revision of the theory of psychosexual development, with particular emphasis on the role of the super-ego-ideal, and then views several dimensions of differentiation. Finally, some exploration into the implications and applications of this revised theory to other areas, such as politics, education, abortion, art, and law.

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9781912567454

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Donald Meltzer (1923–2004) was born in New York and studied medicine at Yale. After practising as a psychiatrist specialising in children and families, he moved to England to have analysis with Melanie Klein in the 1950s, and for some years was a training analyst with the British Society. He worked with both adults and children, and was innovative in the treatment of autistic children; in the treatment of children he worked closely with Esther Bick and Martha Harris whom he later married. He taught child psychiatry and psychoanalytic history at the Tavistock Clinic. He also took a special scholarly interest in art and aesthetics, based on a lifelong love of art. Meltzer taught widely and regularly in many countries, in Europe, Scandinavia, and North and South America, and his books have been published in many languages and continue to be increasingly influential in the teaching of psychoanalysis. His first book, The Psychoanalytical Process, was published by Heinemann in 1967 and was received with some suspicion (like all his books) by the psychoanalytic establishment. Subsequent books were published by Clunie Press for the Roland Harris Educational Trust which he set up together with Martha Harris (now the Harris Meltzer Trust). The Process was followed by Sexual States of Mind in 1973, Explorations in Autism in 1975; The Kleinian Development in 1978 (his lectures on Freud, Klein and Bion given to students at the Tavistock); Dream Life in 1984; The Apprehension of Beauty in 1988 (with Meg Harris Williams); and The Claustrum in 1992.

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