At each of these points there is something to be said for and againstpsychoanalysis with the balance depending on whether it deepens ourunderstanding of human f... » 

At each of these points there is something to be said for and againstpsychoanalysis with the balance depending on whether it deepens ourunderstanding of human functioning whether it is consistent with its ownperceptions and theories or seems subservient to social pressures and normsand whether it is coherent or muddled evocative or sterile. For and AgainstPsychoanalysis provides an accessible introduction and critical guide to thecurrent standing of psychoanalysis. It is essential reading for students ofpsychoanalysis counselling psychotherapy and psychology and for socialresearchers and social theorists as well as for those who are simplyinterested in what place psychoanalysis has in the modern world. «