The Jewish World of Sigmund Freud: Essays on Cultural Roots and the Problem of Religious Identity

Though Freud is one of the towering intellectual figures of the twentieth century, too little attention has been paid to the influence of his Jewish identity upon his life and work, particularly the impact of growing up a Jew in turn-of-the-century Vienna. The 14 essays in this volume explore the ways in which Freud and his followers were embedded in the cultural matrix of Jewish Central and Eastern Europe. Topics include general, sociological, historical, and cultural issues and then turn to the personal: Freud’s education, his Jewish identity, and his thoughts about Judaism. Though a secular and ambivalent Jew, Freud’s emphasis on intellectualism and morality reveal the deep and abiding influence of European Jewish tradition upon his work.

Arnold D. Richards, M.D. is a practicing psychoanalyst, the former chairman of the Board of the YIVO Institute of Jewish Research, and the former editor of the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association.