To be held on Saturday, March 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Livonia's Schoolcraft College, the Michigan Psychoanalytic Society will hold its 44th annual symposium titled "Queer Theory Meets Psychoanalysis: Productive Synergies and Clinical Implications."
"Psychotherapists and psychoanalysts are often unaware of Queer Theory and its relationship to thinking analytically about non-normative and normative genders and sexualities," write event organizers. "They are unfamiliar with the theoretical constructs of 'sexual life and sexual death drives' proposed to be related to polymorphous sexuality. Understanding Queer Theory propositions will give new perspectives on how perverse sexual practices provide acceptable expression of self configurations."
The event will feature two guest speakers: Ann Pellegrini, Ph.D., a professor of Performance Studies and Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University; and Avgi Saketopoulou, Psy.D. who is studying at NYS's postdoctoral program. Her work focuses on the areas of trauma and its psychic representation, psychosexuality and more.
Featured panelists will be David M. Halperin, Ph.D.; Sally Rosenberg, D.O.; Michael Shulman, Ph.D.; Don Spivak, M.D.; and moderator Susan Flinders, Ph.D.
The Symposium has six clear objectives:
1.) Participants will gain an understanding of major queer theory concepts.
2.) Participants will be able to explain the relevance of queer theory.
3.) Participants will be able to describe key themes for both queer theory and clinical psychoanalysis.
4.) Participants will be able to describe how rigid adherence to normativity can be restrictive.
5.) Participants will be able to discuss concepts of the sexual life drive and death drive relating to the sexual and to polymorphous perversity.
6.) Participants will be able to explain how perverse sexual practices may open up space for new configurations of the self.
Though the event registration starts at 8:30 a.m. with program introductions starting at 9 a.m., a continental breakfast will feature be provided until 10 a.m. Programming for the morning session will last from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., with the afternoon session beginning after lunch at 1:45 p.m. The event will come to a close with the panel discussion that ends at 4:15.
To find out more information about the event, reach out to Monica at [email protected] or call 248-851-3380.
