Bracha L. Ettinger and Jacques Lacan: Psychoanalysis, Sexuality, and the m/Other

This open access book offers a profound exploration of Bracha L. Ettinger's theory of the matrixial borderspace through the lens of Jacques Lacan's psychoanalytic teachings. By situating Ettinger’s work within a Lacanian context, this volume illuminates the intricate interplay between psychoanalysis, sexuality, and the concept of the m/Other. Too often, Ettinger's contributions are examined in isolation, missing the critical Lacanian underpinnings that inform her scholarship and art practice. Key concepts such as the matrixial borderspace, feminine sexuality, and the m/Other are meticulously analyzed alongside Lacan’s archetypes of Tiresias, Dora, Lol Stein, and Antigone. Ettinger’s critiques and modifications of Lacanian ideas, including the ‘weaning complex,’ das Ding, the phallus, and the Real, are explored to reveal the nuanced dialogue between these two influential thinkers. This comparative study not only highlights the contiguities and critical differences between their theories but also enhances our understanding of the Feminine and the m/Other. Scholars of psychoanalysis, gender studies, and philosophy will find this book an invaluable resource. It invites readers to engage deeply with the complexities of Ettinger and Lacan’s theories, offering fresh insights into the enduring questions of feminine sexuality and identity.