230122 SE Sociology and Psychoanalysis - Interdisciplinary Research into National Socialism (2021W)

Throughout the 20th century, sociology and psychoanalysis mostly remained mutual strangers. In research into Nazism, however, productive mergers between the two sciences occurred, examples being the early works of Critical Theory, works that emerged in Vienna before World War II, but also debates about “theories of fascism” after 1968 or in the context of the so called Waldheim affair in Austria in the 1980s.

In the seminar, we want to dedicate ourselves to four examples of this attempted connection: firstly, Wilhelm Reich's "Mass Psychology of Fascism", which included observations Reich had made during the "Justizpalast fire" in 1927, published under the title "A practical course in Marxist sociology". Secondly, with Erich Fromm's book "Die Furcht vor der Freiheit" we want to discuss a study that was created in the context of Fromm's break with Max Horkheimer's Institute for Social Research. Thirdly, we deal with Klaus Theweleit's book "Männerphantasien", which intervened in the theories of fascism of the 1970s and was recently republished. Finally, with Waltraud Kannonier-Finsters and Meinrad Ziegler's book "Das Österreichische Gedächtnis" we take a close look at the interviews and interpretations at the interface of sociology and psychoanalysis, which were conducted in the context of the "Waldheim affair".

Investigating these examples, we discuss the question of how the respective authors used concepts from both sociology and psychoanalysis and what can be learned from this for sociology today.

It is planned to invite experts to the seminar for a joint discussion.