Transcending the Legacies of Slavery: A Psychoanalytic View

Smith, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist extends the idea that she put forth in Mental Slavery (2000) that internalized psychological damage from the trauma of slavery that persists today can be healed through resolution of the Oedipal complex. In case examples of Africans of Caribbean background in Britain, she discusses slavery’s impact on family structure and relationships--for men in particular, and increasing violence among young people. She concludes that this legacy can be transcended by dealing with it openly and taking responsibility for how we treat ourselves and others. Distributed by Stylus Publishing. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)