Manchester Psychoanalytic Development Trust
Manchester Psychoanalytic Development Trust
Dr David Bell taught at the Tavistock Clinic London and the British Psychoanalytic Society for 25 years. His Lectures and Seminars have been widely praised.
This series of online lectures allows this teaching to reach a wider audience. It offers a systematic introduction and overview of the development of psychoanalytic theory from Freud to the present day, always keeping in mind its contemporary relevance. Itis aimed at two kinds of student: those who have little prior knowledge of psychoanalysis and also those who already have familiarity with psychoanalytic ideas (such as psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists) but would like to revisit theory in a structured and systematic way.
Course Outline
The course offers a chronological overview of the development of psychoanalytic theory. Dr Bell offers a chronological overview of key Freudian concepts, beginning with two introductory lectures that situate psychoanalysis within a broad cultural and epistemological context. This is followed by a systematic examination of key psychoanalytic concepts. The course also explores the relation of psychoanalysis to culture, literature and socio-political theory.
Weekly Lecture Topics
- Lectures 1 & 2 (6, 13 March): What is Psychoanalysis? This lecture will consider psychoanalysis as a body of knowledge of mind and explore its palce in the history of ideas and its relation to other disciplines particularly the sciences and humanities?
- Lecture 3 (20 March): Dreams and Symptoms
- Lecture 4 (27 March): Psychoanalysis and Sexuality. On Freud’s Three Essays on Sexuality
- Lecture 5 (3 April): Freud’s theory of Narcissism and its Contemporary Relevance
- Lecture 6 (10 April): Freud’s Introduction to the Structural Model (the Ego and the Id)
- Lecture 7 (17 April): The Psychoanalytic Attitude (Freud’s papers on technique)
- Lecture 8 (8 May): Freud’s Theory of the Death Drive
- Lecture 9 (15 May): Psychoanalytic Reflections on Hamlet
- Lecture 10 (22 May): Culture and Psychoanalysis, Final Discussion
Course Fee
Entire course: £150 (Subsidised places are available upon application)
Individual lectures: £20
6 March – 22 May 2025
Further Details
The series consists of 10 lectures held weekly on Thursdays at 6:oopm (GMT/BST).Each lecture will be 50 min followed by a 30 min discussion.