Self psychology and the humanities cover

Self psychology and the humanities

by Heinz Kohut

Heinz Kohut, one of the most influential psychoanalysts of the twentieth century, developed the concepts and theories of self psychology. This posthumous book presents his writings and teachings, about the role of the individual, as well as of the "group self," in history, art, religion, and politics. Through the application of self psychology to literature and history, Kohut illuminates the role of the "nuclear self" in the hero and the tragic man, exemplified by Shakespeare's Hamlet, and probes the meaning of historical events, such as the rise of Hitler in Germany. Included are previously unpublished essays on courage, leadership, and the self in society, earlier published papers presenting the theoretical basis of Kohut's ideas, and transcripts of conversations between Kohut and Strozier about cultures as interpreted by depth psychology. Psychoanalysts, as well as historians and others interested in the history of ideas, will welcome the publication of Kohut's last work. [[W. W. Norton][1]] [1]: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Self-Psychology-and-the-Humanities/

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?