New Initiatives

The Editors-in-chief of the international journal are proposing a number of initiatives designed to enhance the relationship between the journal and its readers, contributors and subscriber around the world. Details of the initiatives will appear in our editorial commentaries in the journal. In the previous issue (vol. 82, part 6) we introduced a new policy on confidentiality together with duige lines for authors in what is, particularly of psychoanalysts, an extremely complex, difficult area. We ask all authors who submit to the journal to observe these guidelines, and we hope that our policy will help to establish an enduring method by which psychoanalysts can continue to protect their patients whilst helping our discipline to advance scientifically.

One of the most far-reaching of the new initiatives is an effort, currently under way, to develop a community of psychoanalysts' linked to the journal and through which the editors will seek a sustained dialogue with psychoanalysts around the world on a range of issues. The objective is to deepen our understanding of psychoanalysts needs in different regions. To this end we have written initially to each IPA society or group to ask them to nominate one or more persons to act as a link between their society/region and the journal. We plan to write to all groups that subscribe to be journal in this way so that the journal eventually has a direct relationship with each subscribing organization. We think that by increasing communication in this way we can:

1. improve our understanding of the cultural contexts and needs of our colleagues.

2. Gain knowledge that will help us to facilitate publication in the journal by more authors from more region of the world

3. Seek new talent to participate in the important roles of readers of paper and reviewers of books.

4. Encourace psychoanalysts to write to the journal's letters column on issues of importance to them.

5. Acquire news of scientific development