Aggression

This book is a result of the 2nd International Psychoanalytic Conference: "Aggression: From Fantasy to Action", held in May 2010.It contains papers that were delivered to the conference, together with edited summaries of discussions from the floor that followed each paper. The standard of the papers given was extremely high. What was noticeable from the outset of the conference was the intensity of focus on understanding the origins of aggression and violence, from a psychoanalytic perspective. This intensity persisted throughout the two days, leading to a number of the fascinating discussions that are summarized in this book.

Williams, Paul

Preface -- Introduction -- The nature and function of aggression -- Discussion of Donald Campbell's paper -- Which violence and whose violence? Questions arising in the psychotherapy of aggressive children -- Discussion of Anne Alvarez's paper -- Violence to body and mind: treating patients who have killed -- Discussion of Carine Minne's paper -- The interpretation of violence -- Discussion of James Gilligan's paper -- From action to communication: the transformation of aggression in childhood -- Aggression and violence in adolescence -- Discussion of Marianne Parsons' paper -- The perverse fascination of destructiveness" -- Discussion of Paola Capozzi and Franco De Masi's paper -- Aggression: social and political aspects -- Discussion of Lord Alderdice's paper -- Plenary session -- Closing remarks by Philip McGarry