The Mother's Hands: Desire, Fantasy and the Inheritance of the Maternal

The Mother's Hands: Desire, Fantasy and the Inheritance of the MaternalDiscover 'The Mother's Hands: Desire, Fantasy and the Inheritance of the Maternal,' a groundbreaking work by bestselling author and psychoanalyst Massimo Recalcati. This insightful book redefines motherhood in contemporary culture, addressing the complexities of maternal love in a world rich with social and sexual freedoms. Delve into thought provoking discussions about motherhood, examining how societal changes influence the mother child

Discover 'The Mother's Hands: Desire, Fantasy and the Inheritance of the Maternal,' a groundbreaking work by bestselling author and psychoanalyst Massimo Recalcati. This insightful book redefines motherhood in contemporary culture, addressing the complexities of maternal love in a world rich with social and sexual freedoms. Delve into thought-provoking discussions about motherhood, examining how societal changes influence the mother-child relationship. Recalcati challenges the notion of unconditional maternal love and reveals how unresolved conflicts can lead to ambivalence, where mothers may feel a mix of nurturing and resentment towards their children. This exploration not only highlights the nurturing aspects of a mother's role but also acknowledges potential harm—urging readers to reflect on the balance between love and loss inherent in motherhood.

With 200 pages of profound insights, 'The Mother's Hands' is perfect for anyone interested in gender studies, psychoanalysis, and the evolving definitions of motherhood. This book is essential reading for scholars, students, and anyone pondering the intricate dynamics of family relationships.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Condition: BRAND NEW. ISBN: 9781509531684. Year: 2019. Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK).

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781509531684
Year: 2019
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK)
Pages: 200


Description:


In this book the bestselling author and psychoanalyst Massimo Recalcati offers a fundamental re-examination of what ˜being a mother™ means today, in a world where new social and sexual freedoms mean that motherhood is no longer the sole destiny of women. Questioning the belief that a mother™s love is natural and unconditional, he paints a more complex and troubling picture of the mother“child relationship, observing that mothers may even resent their children as a result of unresolved conflicts between different dimensions of love. The mother™s hands not only nurture but can also potentially harm. Recalcati argues that it is precisely in these competing demands that motherhood fulfils its function: only if the mother is ˜not-all-mother™ can a child experience the absence that enables it to access the symbolic and cultural world.


Recalcati cuts through conventional wisdom to offer a fresh perspective on the changing nature of motherhood today. An international bestseller, this book will appeal to a wide general readership, as well as to students and scholars of gender studies, psychoanalysis and related disciplines.