ABSTRACT
Psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theories provide a powerful set of concepts for analyzing unconscious ideas, structures, and processes that can facilitate a deeper understanding (conscientization) of individuals in their world. We present several psychodynamic and psychoanalytic ideas and concepts that are useful to deepen the understanding of case material and particularly of workers and clients who meet together as Subjects. We make no attempt to cover all of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theory (this would be fruitless and silly in such a short volume). We do cover some selected ideas and concepts that are grounded in our practice, reports of case material, student process recordings, and in-class discussions and role plays that will be useful for our project. We recognize that this is not the first time psychodynamic and psychoanalytic ideas have been used by social theorists and clinicians to bring a deeper understanding to the interaction between individuals and groups, and social, economic, and political forces (see, for example, Marcuse, 1966, 1966; Fromm, 1965; Fanon, 1967). We will draw on these and other theorists and clinicians as needed to illuminate these interactions.
