The Making of Psychohistory: Origins, Controversies, and Pioneering Contributors by Dr. Paul H. Elovitz, PhD (2018) – follow the link to order from the publisher (ISBN # 978-1-138-58749-6, use FLR40 code to get a 20% discount).
Read Excerpts from Ch. 1 and Ch. 2 and Table of Contents from The Making of Psychohistory.
Volume 32 Number 2Spring 2025
ISSN 1080-2622
Editorial Board
C. Fred Alford, PhD University of Maryland • James William Anderson, PhD Northwestern University • David R. Beisel, PhD RCC-SUNY • Marilyn Charles, PhD Austen Riggs Center • Lawrence J. Friedman, PhD Harvard University • Ken Fuchsman, EdD University of Connecticut • Juhani Ihanus, PhD University of Helsinki • Peter Loewenberg, PhD UCLA • Denis O’Keefe, PhD New York University • Peter W. Petschauer, PhD Appalachian State University • William McKinley Runyan, PhD University of California-Berkeley • Vamık Volkan, MD University of Virginia
WOMEN’S VOICES IN PSYCHOHISTORY AND PSYCHOANALYSIS: DIFFERENT, DISTINCT, MARGINALIZED, OR FORGOTTEN
- Rozentsvit, I. (2025). Women’s voices in psychoanalysis: Erased or forgotten. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 131-143. https://doi.org/10.70763/979a3f14bae523dc5101c52120c535e9
- Ferraro, T. (2025). Why are men winning the psychoanalytic race? A commentary on Inna Rozentsvit’s paper, “Women’s voices in psychoanalysis.” Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 144-147. https://doi.org/10.70763/a8a427afafda854020c951467cc2b4b7
- Bleiberg, S. S. (2025). Female sociologists: Expanding the canon. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 147-152. https://doi.org/10.70763/c8afe805c097dab1f1e5bdd57f8d2931
- Leicher, D. (2025). Comments on “Women’s voices in psychohistory and psychoanalysis.” Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 152-156. https://doi.org/10.70763/8ae1da0fe37c98412768453f82490da2
- Ihanus, J. (2025). Reflections on Sabina Spielrein’s life and intellectual legacy re-examined. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 156-162. https://doi.org/10.70763/05f17e3cfa5de42020eaa6df34fb4805
- Rozentsvit, I. (2025). Echoes, expansions, and the beholder’s share: Response to symposium responses. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 162-164. https://doi.org/10.70763/3b199f42a9909061516b6ce6d334af6d
WOMEN’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSYCHOANALYSIS
- Elovitz, P. H. (2025). Psychohistory’s failure to attract enough women leaders. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 164-168. https://doi.org/10.70763/aa1b6b26d690368d6f74a35a7daa0916
- Rubin, J. B. (2025). Karen Horney, Zen, and the search for the real self. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 168-171. https://doi.org/10.70763/3d191ef6e236bd1b9bdb9ff4743c47fe
- Rozentsvit, I. (2025). The unsung brilliance of Sabina Spielrein: Her legacy’s late blossom [Poem]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 171-172. https://doi.org/10.70763/a5d42e4024cc540befb48f466820e25f
- Kavaler-Adler, S. (2025). Envy and psychohistory: Derivative theorizing from the psychoanalytic theories of Melanie Klein. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 172-177. https://doi.org/10.70763/7b852316cf9d2d41bec07321928afe96
- Rubin, J. B. (2025). On being able to create: Reflections on Marion Milner’s “On Not Being Able to Paint.” Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 178-182. https://doi.org/10.70763/234dd9e577ac5892481bc60663ffa405
- Petschauer, P. W. (2025). A poem for Inna Rozentsvit [Poem]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 182-184. https://doi.org/10.70763/60131a2a3f223dc8f4753bcc5771660c
WOMEN’S PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION
- Charles, M. (2025). Woman-izing. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 184-188. https://doi.org/10.70763/15a50c8ba6a0002a2fa7e5d8c0a40bd9
- Neumann, D. A. (2025). Pioneering contributions to an understanding of maternal sexual desire. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 189-193. https://doi.org/10.70763/62e0973455fd26eb03e91d5741a4a3bb
- Rozentsvit, I. (2025). Echoes of sorrow and resilience [Poem]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 193-195. https://doi.org/10.70763/8a88d5f412f2ad376f8597d28cbd3720
WOMEN IN LITERATURE AND MEDIA
- Knafo, D. (2025). Wonder Woman’s kinky secrets. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 195-205. https://doi.org/10.70763/c17028c9b6e0c5deaad29665d582284a
- Wolf, H. (2025). Me as Tove: Starting analysis with Tove Jansson. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 205-212. https://doi.org/10.70763/e0b60d939b4a80628dfd66b1e0bb65fa
- West, M. I. (2025). The negative representations of mothers in Beatrix Potter’s picture books. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 212-222. https://doi.org/10.70763/b0dd033cbe58aa5ea27747271bfd84e3
FEMINISM’S “RELIGION” AGAINST WOMEN
- Chesler, P. (2025). The disappearing of women psychoanalytic theorists by men and faux-feminists. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 222-226. https://doi.org/10.70763/9a3f54913bf27e648d1759c18d007165
- Rozentsvit, I. (2025). The erasure of Jewish women in modern feminism: When #MeToo doesn’t include you. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 227-232. https://doi.org/10.70763/90f4760fcc9b69c13da7368c5c2917f3
PSYCHOBIOGRAPHIES AND THE AUTOBIOGRAPHIES OF PSYCHOBIOGRAPHERS SPECIAL ISSUE PT III
- Ding, X. (2025). The life practice and intellectual exploration of a budding Chinese psychobiographer. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 233-241. https://doi.org/10.70763/2e907f44e0a9616314cf3d964d4e3c93
BOOK REVIEWS
- Wiener-Margulies, M. (2025). Carol Gilligan’s Human Voice represents the 21st century [Review of the book In a Human Voice by Carol Gilligan (2023)]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 242-244. https://doi.org/10.70763/926ffc0ca56636b9e73c565cf994ea5a
- Newton, M. A. (2025). The dangers of authoritarian leadership [Review of the book A Psychoanalytic Study of Political Leadership in the United States and Russia: Searching for Truth by Karyne E. Messina (2024)]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 245-248. https://doi.org/10.70763/9e05fb01c4c2aa78872ff38b73e69197
- Beisel, D. (2025). On the origins of war [Review of the book Blood of the Beloved II by Mary Coleman (2025)]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 248-250. https://doi.org/10.70763/cd0b43eac0392accf3624b7372dec36e
MEMORIALS
- Elovitz, P. H. (2025). Jacques Szaluta: Psychohistorian and Holocaust survivor [Memorial]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 250-252. https://doi.org/10.70763/0c2a1b8eada4803abd90386df241cbf3
- Elovitz, P. H. (2025). Remembering Herbert Barry III: Research psychologist and presidential scholar [Memorial]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 252-253. https://doi.org/10.70763/e148bbf8d64abf4aac7ea4a3c5560aee
- Elovitz, P. H. (2025). John Fitzpatrick: Early psychohistorian [Memorial]. Clio’s Psyche, 32(2), 254-255. https://doi.org/10.70763/800b03685c22049f049801f6841861a2
BULLETIN BOARD
FORTHCOMING CONFERENCES: On August 23rd, the Forum’s Psychobiography Reading Group will discuss Oliver Sacks. The next Psychohistory Forum Work-in-Progress seminar is on September 27th when psychoanalyst Jeffrey Rubin (Forum Research Associate) will present “The Political is Personal: Benevolence and Sadism are Learned at Home.”
RECENT ACTIVITIES: The Psychohistory Forum’s recent programming reflects a deepening commitment to psychobiographical inquiry, interdisciplinary dialogue, and personal reflection within psychohistorical scholarship. On December 7, 2024, we had a book celebration three-hour conference for James W. Anderson’s Psychobiography: In Search of the Inner Life featuring commentary from colleagues and the author’s reflections on his contributions to the field. On January 11, 2025, the Psychobiography Reading Group engaged with the provocative legacy of Wilhelm Reich. On February 1, a Work-in-Progress Meeting on women’s voice in psychohistory and psychoanalysis sparked vibrant dialogue and inspired contributions to this special issue of Clio’s Psyche. The March 1 reading group examined Hanna Segal’s psychoanalytic legacy and insights into politics and creativity. On May 3, Paul H. Elovitz presented part two of his autopsychobiography, offering a moving account of transformation through psychoanalytic engagement. On May 17, the Psychobiography Reading Group explored Eric R. Kandel’s autobiographical and scientific transdisciplinary dimensions.
CONGRATULATIONS: To Mary Coleman on the publication of Blood of the Beloved (2025); to Vamık Volkan on the republication of Linking Objects and Linking Phenomena: A Study of the Forms, Symptoms, Metapsychology, and Therapy of Complicated Mourning (Karnac Books, July 2025) and to Joyce Rosenberg on being elected president of the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP); to Hanna Turken on her presentation, “Psychoanalysis and History, Past and Present: Reworking Trauma Within One’s Life Cycle and Its Impact on How We Work”; and to Harold Takooshian for receipt of a Fordham University Arts and Science s Award for Exemplary Teaching. DEATHS: Herbert Barry III, Jack Fitzpatrick, and Jacques Szaluta.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Barbara Campbell and Sheila Zarb-Harber.
THANKS: To Lifetime Members Candace Orcutt and William McKinley Runyan; Platinum Members David James Fisher and Mary Peace Sullivan; Benefactors Mary Coombs, Tom Ferraro, Eva Fogelman, Peter Loewenberg, David Lotto, and Inna Rozentsvit; Patrons
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James William Anderson, Peter Barglow, Daniel Benveniste, Donna Crawley, Paul H. Elovitz, John J. Fitzpatrick, Ken Fuchsman, John Hartman, Susan Kavaler-Adler, Ruth Lijtmaer, Judith Logue, Alice Lombardo Maher, Karyne Messina, Denis O’Keefe, Peter W. Petschauer, Richard (Rick) Reibstein, Joyce Rosenberg, Jeffrey B. Rubin, Desy Safán-Gerard, Dean Simonton, Jacques Szaluta, and Duke Wagner; and Members Theresa Aiello, Nicole Barenbaum, Connie Benson, Jerome Blackman, Sue Erikson Bloland, Barbara Bloom, James R. Booth, Ira Brenner, Nina Cerfolio, Marilyn Charles, David Cifelli, Jim Clark, Tom Cook, Raymond E. Fancher, Christine R. Good, Susan Gregory, Susan Hein, Danielle Knafo, Kevin McGinnis, Peggy McLaughlin, Merle Molofsky, Marcie Anne Newton, Susan Nimmanheminda, Elaine H. Olaoye, Joseph Ponterotto, Ken Rasmussen, Arnold Richards, Krystyna Sanderson, Burton N. Seitler, Robert Stolorow, Charles B. Strozier, Karen S. Terry, Mark West, and Richard Wood. We also wish to thank our many International Members for their contributions.
Our special thanks for thought-provoking materials to David Beisel, Marilyn Charles, Phyllis Chesler, Xue Ding, Paul H. Elovitz, Tom Ferraro, Juhani Ihanus, Susan Kavaler-Adler, Danielle Knafo, Dorothea Leicher, Debra A. Neumann, Peter W. Petschauer, Inna Rozentsvit, Jeffrey B. Rubin, Susanne Bleiberg Seperson, Mark West, Marian Wiener-Margulies, Marcia Anne Newton, and Helene Wolf. To Nicole D’Andria for editing, proofing, and Publisher 2016 software application, and Professor Paul Salstrom and Morgan Wadsworth for proofing.
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Clio’s Psyche – Call for Papers:
Integrating Psychoanalytic Concepts
into Modern Psychohistorical &
Psychobiographical Scholarship
(Articles are to be 500–2,500 words, including a brief abstract, keywords, & short biography of the author.)
Deadline: September 1, 2025, for the Winter 2026 Issue
Dear Colleagues,
Our members are open to psychological and psychoanalytic concepts, and we yearn for them to apply these to their articles and scholarship. This openness is reflected in the Psychohistory Forum’s impressive attendance at its Work-in-Progress, Psychobiography Reading Group, and Lifetime Achievement Award meetings. We propose that psychoanalytic phenomena and terminology should be more integrated into psychohistorical publications, such as Clio’s Psyche, the Journal of Psychohistory, and the Psychohistory News of the IPhA, to enrich them and also to remedy the confusion of tongues so often happening in other inter- and transdisciplinary fields. This does not mean we desire to impose psychoanalytic jargon or theories, but we do think it would be extremely helpful if these ideas were integrated to a greater extent than they are now.
We invite submissions prioritizing “bottom-up” scholarship that builds understanding from primary and secondary sources rather than imposing theoretical frameworks or diagnostic criteria onto historical material. We are particularly interested in your work illuminating unconscious
Deadline: September 1, 2025, for the Winter 2026 Issue
Dear Colleagues,
Our members are open to psychological and psychoanalytic concepts, and we yearn for them to apply these to their articles and scholarship. This openness is reflected in the Psychohistory Forum’s impressive attendance at its Work-in-Progress, Psychobiography Reading Group, and Lifetime Achievement Award meetings. We propose that psychoanalytic phenomena and terminology should be more integrated into psychohistorical publications, such as Clio’s Psyche, the Journal of Psychohistory, and the Psychohistory News of the IPhA, to enrich them and also to remedy the confusion of tongues so often happening in other inter- and transdisciplinary fields. This does not mean we desire to impose psychoanalytic jargon or theories, but we do think it would be extremely helpful if these ideas were integrated to a greater extent than they are now.
We invite submissions prioritizing “bottom-up” scholarship that builds understanding from primary and secondary sources rather than imposing theoretical frameworks or diagnostic criteria onto historical material. We are particularly interested in your work illuminating unconscious
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motivations, ego defense mechanisms, and the influence of childhood and formative experiences on historical actors and events.
The Value of Case Studies in Psychohistorical Research
Case studies that use psychoanalytic frameworks can enrich psychohistorical scholarship too. Notable examples from psychoanalytic tradition that might inspire psychohistorical approaches include Freud’s analyses of patients like Dora (transference and dream analysis), Little Hans (childhood phobias and the Oedipus complex), the Wolf Man (primal scenes), and the Rat Man (obsessional neurosis), as well as Winnicott’s work with patients like the Piggle (child development) and Bob (regression in therapy). Klein’s analysis of Richard during World War II and the foundational Anna O case that introduced the “talking cure” also demonstrate how individual cases can illuminate broader theoretical concepts.
Case studies in psychohistory can serve multiple functions: theory building, methodological instruction, ethical engagement with historical subjects, and integration of diverse disciplinary perspectives. Through these detailed examinations, we can honor the unique subjectivity of historical figures while developing insights into broader historical processes.
Case studies in psychohistory can serve multiple functions: theory building, methodological instruction, ethical engagement with historical subjects, and integration of diverse disciplinary perspectives. Through these detailed examinations, we can honor the unique subjectivity of historical figures while developing insights into broader historical processes.
Psychobiographical Essays
We welcome psychobiographical essays that utilize psychoanalytic concepts while maintaining curiosity and empathy toward their subjects. The art of psychobiography involves achieving an in-depth understanding of famous and ordinary people through careful examination of the available evidence, with attention to formative experiences, developmental trajectories, and unconscious processes. Effective psychobiography avoids imposing diagnostic labels while still applying meaningful psychological frameworks, illuminating the subject’s inner world and external actions.
Some possible psychoanalytic/psychological topics to write about include:
- The Unconscious in Historical Decision-Making
- Transference in Historical Relationships
- Countertransference as a Historical Research Tool
- Regression to Dependence in Societal Crisis
- Projection and Projective Identification in International Relations
- Identification and Introjection Processes in Identity Formation
- Conversion Symptoms in Historical Contexts
- The Oedipus Complex in Political Power
- Transitional Phenomena in Social Movements
- Winnicottian “Survival of the Object” in Leadership &
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- Life Transitions
- True and False Self in Public Figures
- Good-Enough Mothering and Leadership Styles
- Object Relations in Historical Conflicts
- Erikson’s Identity Formation in Historical Figures
- Erikson’s “Participant Observer” Methodology
- The Repetition Compulsion
- Following the Emotions
- Kleinian Guilt and Reparation in Post-Conflict Societies
- Freud and the Impossible Profession of Politics
- Kohut on Narcissism, Narcissistic Rage, and Politics
- Intersubjectivity Theory and Hate
- Paranoid-Schizoid and Depressive Positions
- Fairbairnian “Bad Objects” in Political Symbolism
- The Return of the Repressed in Social Movements
- Bionian Exploration of Group Mentality
- Mahler’s Separation-Individuation in National Movements
- Dream Analysis and Historical Documentation
- Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma and Resilience
- 1,000-Word Book and Movie Review Essays
Guidelines for Authors
- Use primary sources and concrete historical evidence
- Assess secondary sources critically
- Integrate terminology thoughtfully
- Consider the developmental context
- Acknowledge limitations
- Engage with existing literature
- Develop rich case studies
- Utilize countertransference as a research tool
- Consider adopting Erikson’s “participant observer” stance
Submit your proposals to . We look forward to your contributions that help bridge psychoanalytic insight with historical scholarship. The full Call for Papers can be found on the Clio’s Psyche website.
Sincerely,
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Inna Rozentsvit & Paul H. Elovitz
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