EDITORIAL

CAROLINE BAINBRIDGE

It is a huge delight to publish this inaugural issue of Free Associations: Psychoanalysis and Culture, Media, Groups, Politics in its new online format. As many readers will know, in 1984, Robert M. Young established Free Associations as a leading publication that sought to make links between the different spheres of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, culture, politics and groups and the journal continued to be published in both print and online formats until 2005. A great many articles, interviews and commentaries by some of the leading names in the field were published during this period and it is an honour to have been asked by Bob Young to take on Editorship of the journal as it is re-launched as a fully peer-reviewed online journal. In an important gesture of continuity with the former incarnation of the journal, this edition includes an invaluable guide to the contents of previous editions which has been prepared by Robert M Young especially. It is worth noting that many of the articles listed in this piece are available online to subscribers to http://www.pep-web.org/ and many others are also available on the Human Nature website (http://www.human-nature.com/rmyoung/). Similarly, in the spirit of previous editions, this issue contains works authored by both academics and clinicians, who often work from different perspectives and regimes of interest in relation to psychoanalytic theory, but whose contributions to the terrain of discussion and debate around the intellectual, social and cultural values of a psychotherapeutic approach are equally valid. In keeping with the aims of original journal, Free Associations sets out to maintain this space for engagement and debate and hopes to become a key point of reference for scholars and clinicians alike as it strives to continue with this project. To cite the aims specified in the original editorial:

Our aim is to be open to critical thinking within the analytic tradition, broadly conceived, and to stimulate discussion and debate about theory, practice, institutionalisation and trainings in psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and related topics in clinical and social psychology and culture. We shall include reviews and notices across a wide range of publications, including ones not specifically analytic but of likely interest to our readers. We are willing to work with potential contributors from an early stage of their thinking and writing and to receive suggestions for topics, essays and reviews. We also invite letters and reflective contributions on therapy, training and professional work (Radical Science Collective, 1984, pp. 6-7).

A Call for Papers is posted on the journal website and we welcome contributions and proposals. In order to submit your work for review, please sign up as a user on the website and upload your work as an attachment, using the boxes available to signal whether you would like to submit it for publication as an article, a review or in another format. Queries can be addressed to the Editor at editorfa@gmail.com though, please note, that we would prefer all submissions to be made online through the website as detailed above.

References

Radical Science Collective (1984) ‘Editorial’, Free Associations: Psychoanalysis, Groups, Politics, Culture, Number 1, pp. 5-7.

Editorial Committee:

Editor Emeritus and Publisher:

Prof Robert M Young

Founding Editor, Free Associations; Psychotherapist, London, UK

Editor:

Dr Caroline Bainbridge

Reader in Visual Culture, Roehampton University, London, UK

Co-Editor:

Dr Candida Yates

Senior Lecturer in Psychosocial Studies, University of East London, London, UK

Managing Editor:

Dr Helen Powell

Senior Lecturer in Media and Advertising, University of East London, London, UK

Reviews Editor:

Dr Paul Sutton

Head of Department of Media, Culture and Language, Roehampton University, London, UK

Assistant Reviews Editor:

Dr Hugh Ortega Breton
Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK

Psychotherapists at Large:

Brett Kahr Carol Leader

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, London, UK Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, London, UK