Eyes, Mind and Vision
Visual Realities and Metaphors in Psychoanalysis
Salman Akhtar editor Nina Savelle-Rocklin editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Karnac Books
Published:26th Feb '26
Should be back in stock very soon
This pioneering work introduces the concept of psychoanalytic ophthalmology with chapters from Salman Akhtar, Suzanne Benser, Cemile Serin Gürdal, Richard K. Hertel, Alan Michael Karbelnig, Nilofer Kaul, Toni Mandelbaum, Anneliese Riess, Nina Savelle-Rocklin, Brian Watermeyer, and Thomas Wolman.
Eyes play a role in a number of diverse psychopathologies, including hallucinations, blindness, voyeurism, and the feeling of being invisible or, conversely, under constant surveillance. Yet, vision is more than mere physical sight. There exist cultural notions, such as the “evil eye” and the mythic self-blinding of Oedipus, and the actions of seeing, looking, and watching (and the passive being seen, being looked at, being watched) play a huge part in childhood psychological development and adult psychosocial functioning. Our ocular experience begins with the maternal gaze and the eye-to-eye contact of mother and infant, which moves on to the ubiquitous “peek-a-boo” game, young children shouting “look at me!”, adolescents torn between wanting to be seen and to be invisible, the locked eyes of adult lovers, and so much more. Eyes can express respect or contempt, love or hate; they are called the windows to the soul. This collection of inspiring papers brings a much-needed focus on their varied and multi-layered role in our physical and mental lives and their continuing and overlooked importance in psychoanalytic theory and practice. This enjoyable book is ideal reading for academics and clinicians.
‘From the mother’s eye to the analyst’s eye, this wonderful volume explores the developmental, cultural, and clinical aspects of seeing, visualizing, and being seen. Salman Akhtar and Nina Savelle-Rocklin have brought together a distinguished group of contributors who provide multidimensional – literal, metaphorical, scientific, and artistic – perspectives on vision that will be truly mind expanding for all psychotherapists and psychoanalysts.’
-- Charles P. Fisher, MD, Associate Director, Science Department, American Psychoanalytic Association, co-editor of 'The Rangell Reader'‘Salman Akhtar and Nina Savelle-Rocklin have done it again! In this co-edited new collection of accessibly written contributions from various parts of the world, we are invited to re-view developmental, symbolic, cultural and clinical aspects of seeing. Drawing on Freud, Winnicott, Mahler, and others, the psychopathology of vision is described and expanded. Seeing is located in the context of object relations. Aspects of the superego are linked to the inner eye, e.g., in watching and being watched. The authors discuss how much we blind ourselves to personal and broader, dangerous realities, such as global warming and nuclear threats. The book truly gathers together and widens the field of “psychoanalytic ophthalmology” and is highly relevant to medical practitioners and those in the mental health field.’
-- Jennifer Davids, Fellow BPaS, IPA, Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychoanalyst, author of 'The Nursery Age Child'‘In the image-driven culture of the twenty-first century where identities and ideologies are often shaped by what one sees and what one is made to see, this book places a revealing psychoanalytic lens on visual realities and imaginations. It helps us reflect upon not only what all the images we are bombarded with reveal but also, more importantly, what they conceal from our inner selves.’
-- Sergio Lewkowicz, MD, Training and Supervising Analyst, Psychoanalytic Society of Porto Alegre, co-editor of 'On Freud’s Mourning and MelanchoISBN: 9781800134157
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 17mm
Weight: 460g
318 pages