If the culture war appears to favor the Right, it stems from their own perceptions. This book offers a sharp critique of the so-called debate on political correctness, highlighting it as a cultural non-phenomenon constructed by neoconservatives. Longing for the clear moral dichotomies of the Cold War, the conservative Right has fabricated an internal enemy, labeling multiculturalists and postmodernists as part of a McCarthyite agenda that demands action from the virtuous. Richard Feldstein argues that the moralism attributed to political correctness by conservative critics is, in fact, a projection of their own values. The fixation on judgment and morality that makes political correctness seem objectionable is a hallmark of right-wing ideology, projected onto those who embrace more nuanced views. Feldstein likens this to psychological projection, where individuals transfer their intolerances onto others. He asserts that in cultural projection, this transference is often intentional. Through analyses of pivotal neoconservative texts, Feldstein traces the rise of this narrative from Reagan’s era through the Bush-Quayle administration and into the Clinton years. This work serves not only as an essential tool for understanding how the Right wields political correctness as a weapon but also as a guide for resisting these tactics in our media-driven society, acknowledging the complexities of our multicultural, postmodern reality.
Teresa Mary Brennan Books
Teresa Brennan was an Australian-born American feminist philosopher and social-political theorist noted for her psychodynamic theories on how energetics applies to social issues. She theorized on concepts such as the physics of social pressure, particularly examining relations between men and women. Brennan's work delves into the intricate connections between psychological dynamics and broader societal forces.
Combining original feminist analysis with a brilliant exposition of Lacan's psychoanalytic theory, Teresa Brennan recovers Lacan's neglected theory of history, and uses it to develop an historical explanation of modernity.
Between Feminism and Psychoanalysis
- 280 pages
- 10 hours of reading
In this landmark collection of original essays, outstanding feminist critics in Britain, France, and the United States present new perspectives on feminism and psychoanalysis, opening out deadlocked debates. The discussion ranges widely, with contributions from feminists identified with different, often opposed views on psychoanalytic criticism. The contributors reassess the history of Lacanian psychoanalysis and feminism, and explore the significance of its institutional context. They write against the received views on 'French feminism' and essentialism. A remarkable restatement of current positions within psychoanalysis and feminism, the volume as a whole will change the terms of existing debates, and make its arguments and concerns more generally accessible.