Media and Psychoanalysis: A Critical Introduction

by Jacob Johanssen, Steffen Krüger

Have we all become narcissists of the social media age? How have the internet and online platforms shaped the way we work? Is all of this technology positive or negative for our mental health? Or is it both at once? Steffen Krüger and Jacob Johnassen show how media function beyond the rational. Spanning a wide range of examples, Psychoanalysis and the Media guides readers through the growing field of psychoanalytic media studies in a clear and accessible manner. This book is the first critical introduction to the psychoanalytic study of media – from film and TV, to social media, games and artificial intelligence and is an indispensable read for everyone who wants to understand the complex relationship between humans and technology today.

320 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2022

Reviews

[Colin Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This introduction does several things all good introductions do. In addition to providing a comprehensive list of significant scholars who use psychoanalysis to understand digital media phenomena, the authors also provide a helpful glossary of critical psychoanalytic terms and concepts.

[Jeremie Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very much an introduction and lots of critical theory. The subtitle does not lie. Some interesting concepts are addressed but was not what I was looking for.