Preface

Gregorio Kohon’s idea—a collection of essays in honour of André Green’s 70th birthday—is no doubt an act of justice, and one with particular value for psychoanalysis. André Green is one of the most distinguished analysts of our time. His work encompasses a body of theory of singular importance that has permeated psychoanalytic thinking in France, all of Europe, and Latin America. In the English-speaking psychoanalytic community, Green is known mostly through his presentations at international congresses, professional visits, and through personal contacts; but little of his writing has found its way into English. This is in sharp contrast to the Spanish-speaking world. In Argentina, for example, there are study groups in Buenos Aires led by Reggy Serebriany, Manuel Galvez, and other distinguished psychoanalysts, where Green’s work is taught and discussed.

Aged 19, André Green arrived in Paris in 1946. He decided to study medicine, with the expressed purpose of devoting himself to psychiatry. This vocation had emerged from a long way back, and as soon as he qualified as a doctor he began his psychiatric training in 1953. This was a very special moment, when the psychotropic era begun. At the same time, a major upheaval shook the Société Psychoanalytique de Paris, when Lagache, Lacan and other important members broke away to form the Association Psychanalytique de France.

After winning a position at the famed St Anne’s Hospital, where he worked with Henry Ey, Green entered psychoanalysis, following the advice of one of his outstanding teachers (Julián de Aguariaguerra). His first analyst was Maurice Bouvet, from 1956 until his premature death in 1960. After this initial experience, valuable but unfinished, Green completed his analysis with Jean Mallet and afterwards with Catherine Parat.

After the Bonneval Colloquium in 1960, Green decide to attend Lacan’s seminar, while keeping his affiliation to the Société Psychanalytique de Paris. At the same time, he had the chance o