Trayvon Martin was killed over two years ago, yet the impact of his death continues to reverberate. O’Shan Gadsden provides a needed perspective utilizing a socio-cultural and analytic framework. He deconstructs black masculinity and explores how internalized social biases impact individuals. He concludes by providing a framework for clinicians to examine their own racialized experiences and to assist their clients in analyzing their own.
The Occupy Movement galvanized millions of people across the United States. After the encampments were disbanded, the movement underwent an apparent dissolution. Two Section IX members interview activists still engaged in causes related to Occupy. Rachael Peltz interviews Harry Brill in Berkeley, California about the systemic structure that helps activism to continue and the personal commitments of activists who remain engaged. Steven Botticelli explores his own disengagement, and subsequent reengagement in activism after meeting with a young man carrying on the legacy of the Occupy Movement in New York City. Their combined perspectives provide a framework to understand how activism thrives, and how to become reengaged, even when one feels disheartened.
Introduction to Occupy pieces here
Scott Pytluk describes a course he teaches at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, called “Psychoanalysis and Diversity.” Scott describes the creative way he utilizes enactments that occur in the classroom to educate students on the internalization of social power and culture. He describes two enactments, which emphasize the dichotomized positions that inevitably occur in a society rife with negative internalizations. This piece examines the dynamics of oppression and privilege, and how these dynamics become enacted in classes focusing on the experience of marginalized groups.
And finally, Section IX president, Nancy Hollander, provides a review of the section’s past year with plans for 2014.
The Psychoanalytic Activist welcomes proposals for future articles. Potential topics would include human rights, multicultural concerns, gender, sexual orientation, justice, ethics, economics, education, working with underserved populations, war and violence. We believe there is much that needs to be written regarding these issues, and hope the Psychoanalytic Activist provides a thoughtful and accessible method to begin and to deepen these conversations.
On a more personal note (coming from Matt), I would like to thank Ruth and Ghislaine for helping to guide and mentor me through this first year of involvement in editing the Psychoanalytic Activist. They have been wonderful colleagues and role models. They will be dearly missed.
Matt LeRoy (mattleroy@gmail.com), Ruth Fallenbaum (ruthfallenbaum@comcast.net)
The Psychoanalytic Activist 