Sexual Difference of Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis makes a difference. This difference is both at its most fragile and most flagrant when it comes to sexuality. Since its invention by Freud, psychoanalysis may be seen as a place where sexuality, the difference that it makes in respect to any other determination of the “human”—philosophical, social, historical, or scientific—as well as the difference and differences that occur with and as the sexual, can invent their own language or speak in their own voice. And it cannot be excluded that these, language, voice, and speaking, appear in the name of a criticism or refusal of the very concepts linked to “sexual difference.” This seminar presents an occasion to read or reread some of the classical psychoanalytic texts on sex, sexuality, sexual difference, and sexuation as well as their commentaries, criticisms, or refutations. The French contributions to this complex since the 1960s, coming from psychoanalysis as well as from philosophy and literature, have been extremely rich. Therefore, particular attention will be paid to some of these contributions.