Who we are

The group has met since 1999, convened in the past by Louise Braddock, David Bell and Denis Flynn, and currently by John Lawrence and Richard Gipps. It became a Study Group of the Institute of Psychoanalysis in 2010. Members include psychoanalysts and academic philosophers, also occasionally trainees or graduate students. The group works through the medium of inter-disciplinary conversation. The principal focus for psychoanalysis is on its philosophical claims and ideas, its epistemology and methodology and its conceptual problems. For philosophy the main contributions are philosophical ideas and theories relevant to psychoanalysis, and philosophical critique.  The ethos of the group is to be a safe place for disagreement.  The group’s output is largely that of its individual members (for which see Members’ web-pages). The group has contributed to the academic work of the Institute through the CAPS seminar series, talks given at Applied Section meetings, and meetings of the Psychoanalytic Forum. Queries about the group and its work can be addressed to the conveners.