Drawing Lines: From Kernberg and Haraway to Lacan and Beyond

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konturen_v3_jfmaccannell.pdf (2.88 MB)

Date

2010

Authors

MacCannell, Juliet Flower

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Publisher

University of Oregon

Abstract

This paper reviews the key concepts underlying the diagnosis of “borderline personality disorder” as exemplified in the work of Otto Kernberg. It looks both to history and philosophy (Rousseau), to social thought (Erving Goffman) and to psychoanalysis (Deutsch, Freud, Lacan) to show the limitations and problems with the diagnosis. It also looks at later cultural developments attacking the idea of limits and ‘borders’ (e.g, Haraway refusal of metaphoric distinctions among human-animal-machine) as having their own vexed psychoanalytic profile. The paper concludes with strong speculation about the reasons humans, and humans alone, draw lines.

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24 pages

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Citation

MacCannell, J. (2010). Drawing Lines : from Kernberg and Haraway to Lacan and Beyond. Konturen, 3(1), 63-86. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.5399/uo/konturen.3.1.1381

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/24315

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Konturen: Vol 3 (2010)