Intensive Doctoral School

Specialist Course for UGent Doctoral School
Academic year 2023-2024
Course Title:

Mental Health Care, Research, Psychoanalysis and Philosophy

Lacan’s ‘Some Guiding Remarks for a Convention on Female Sexuality’

Lecturer:

 Dr. Lieven Jonckheere

Organizing committee:

Scientific committee

Besides the members of the UGent organizing committee, this proposal is endorsed by

  • University of Pittsburgh Duquesne: Prof. Dr. Derek Hook; Duquesne Pittsburgh, Hookd@duq.edu
  • University libre de Bruxelles: Prof. Dr. Ariane Bazan; Department of Psychology and Education, Ariane.Bazan@ulb.ac.be, TEL 02 650 67 63

Topic and theme of the course

This seminar will be dedicated to a close reading of Lacan’s “Guiding remarks for a convention on female sexuality” (1958-1960). We will confront Lacan’s structural and topological approach of female jouissance with the pseudoscientific biopsychosocial approach promoted at universities. This means that we first will delve into three complementary approaches. First the biologizing approach by the sexology, via the notion of the wisdom of the body:  “Know your vagina – and experiment with it on your own!”. Then the psychologizing approach by the postfreudian psychoanalysis, via the notion of development: “Become a real woman – and assume your fucking responsibilities (as a mother)!”. And last but not least the sociologizing approach by the gender studies, via the notion of the performativity of language: “Identify yourself as anything – and enjoy with your peers in your safe space for the time being!” We will contrast this threefold universitary approach to the Lacanian structural and topological approach. Lacan makes use of Freud’s symbolic reference points for the female jouissance, such as the Name-of-the-Father and the Phallus (castration) and their Imaginary effects, such as the masquerade – and desperately tries to go beyond these.

All of this means that we will have to touch upon different problem areas for female jouissance today, with some more or less appropriate questions. Masochism: can contemporary woman claim her own brand of masochism, beyond ‘female masochism’ as merely a male fantasy? Frigidity: is frigidity intrinsic to female jouissance, as the basic form of female jouissance about which a woman can say nothing? Erotomania: not only towards a dead and/or castrated man (paradigm of Christ)? Homosexuality: more than simply a form of courtly love, because it can also be a fundamental form of female jouissance and because it can also lead to a female form of language creation, in line with the movement of the Précieuses? And last but not least the social position of women today. The incest taboo between father and daughter does not seem to have the same impact as the incest taboo between son and mother – resulting in the systematic sexual abuse of women. And what about female sexual contracts, as highlighted in the case of polyamory: meaningful and sustainable?

Lecturers

  • Dr. Lieven Jonckheere  is a Doctor in Psychology (doctoral thesis about Freud’s and Lacan’s theory of anxiety) and pensioned-off Lecturer in Psychology at University Ghent. He’s a psychoanalyst in private practice (Ghent) and member of the New Lacanian School and the World Association of Psychoanalysis (via Kring voor Psychoanalyse). More information can be found on: https://lievenjonckheere-psy.be/

Added value of the course

This Specialist Doctoral Course introduces the researchers in psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and the problem of (feminine) sexuality in contemporary culture. It aims at questioning and discussing fundamental assumptions underlying the study of human behaviour in the social and human sciences. This course specifics delves into hot topics as polyamory, frigidity, erotomania, and the debate between sexology, psychology and psychoanalysis. Being open for doctoral students from the humanities, life sciences, and social sciences the course guarantees a genuine interdisciplinary dialogue.

Participants: maximum 20

Budget: This course is free of charge for doctoral students affiliated with a Doctoral School from Flemish Universities. For students that are not affiliated with a Doctoral School from Flemish Universities a registration fee of 160 euro will be asked.

Target group

 Members of the Doctoral Schools of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arts, Humanities and Law, and Life Sciences and Medicine.

We believe that this course is most relevant to ongoing PhD research at Ghent University. Students in the fields of (clinical) psychology, philosophy, cultural studies, literary studies might be particularly interested in this course.

Timing and program

We propose two consecutive days and one event the night before. Dates: 17-18-19 January 2024

The main two days offer a close-reading of ‘Guiding Remarks for a Congres on Feminine Sexualty’ in Lacan’s Ecrits. The participants are supposed to have read the text; or at least having familiarized oneself with the text before attending the course.  

Pre-Event:

19:00-22:00: Relevance of Lacan’s Guiding remarks for a convention on female sexuality. – Introduction on the theme and discussion

 Day One:

9:00 – 10:45 – The biologizing approach by the sexology, via the notion of the wisdom

of the body:  “Know your vagina – and experiment with it on your own!”

10:45 – 11:00 – Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:30 – The psychologizing approach by the postfreudian psychoanalysis, via

the notion of development: “Become a real woman – and assume your fucking responsibilities!”

12:30 – 13:45 – Lunch

13:45 – 15:30 – The sociologizing approach by the genderstudies, via the notion of the

performativity of language: “Identify yourself as anything – and enjoy with your peers in your safe space for the time being!”

15:30 – 15:45 – Break

15:45 – 17:15– The Lacanian structural and topological approach

Day Two:

9:00 – 10:45 – Masochism: can contemporary woman claim her own brand of

masochism, beyond ‘female masochism’ as merely a male fantasy?

10:45 – 11:00 – Break

11:00 – 12:30 – Frigidity: is frigidity intrinsic to female enjoyment, as the basic form of

female enjoyment about which a woman can say nothing?

12:30 – 13:45 – Lunch

13:45 – 15:30 – Erotomania: not only towards a dead and/or castrated man (paradigm

of Christ)

15:30 – 15:45 – Break

15:45 – 17:15 – the case of polyamory

 

 

 

Application

Sent CV and reason for wishing to attend to dries.dulsster@ugent.be. Students who qualify will receive approval by e-mail.

Registration is final after payment.