Constructing the house: Truth and the subjectivity of the analysand in the psychoanalytic encounter

For our 3rd event this term, President Finnian will be leading a short presentation and discussion on one of Freud's last technical papers, 'Constructions in Analysis' (1937). This paper hinges on the vital role of the analyst in reconstructing the patient's forgotten memories through indirect traces left in their affectations, dreams, and associations. Crucially, Freud addresses the charge of 'unfalsifiablity' towards psychoanalysis, throwing valuable light onto the epistemic standing of psychoanalysis as a discipline.

Here, Freud makes a crucial distinction between 'interpretation' and 'construction'. The former refers to the addressing of individual elements of the patient's productions, such as a slip of the tongue. It involves the analyst explaining the meaning of these elements in relation to the patient's unconscious. Freud suggests that construction, on the other hand, involves a more synthetic process in which fragments (symptoms, dreams, etc.) are aggregated to construct a coherent narrative out of the patient's forgotten history and repressed experiences. Freud's idea of construction can be seen as a seed to Lacan's positioning of the analyst as the "subject supposed to know"—a figure who holds knowledge about the patient's unconscious, often leading to a power dynamic that must be handled with care, lest one reifies that which only exist in the analyst's mind.

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Please note that the executive team has a meeting with the SU today from 1730 to 1830.

Thus, our event will begin roughly ~18:30 (6.30pm), around 30 minutes later than usual.

Room: 3.320 @ 6.30pm

As usual, we will reconvene in Top Bar afterwards:)

Not sure how to get there? Keep an eye on the chat - we can usher you in from 2NE (square 2) or 4NW (square 4) !

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Whether you're new to the subject or already familiar with the field, everyone is welcome—no prior knowledge required. Plus, membership is completely free! https://www.essexstudent.com/opportunities/club/12441/