Routledge Trauma and Loss: Key Texts from the John Bowlby Archive

During his lifetime John Bowlby, the founder of attachment theory, was unable to publish as he wished due to strong opposition to his ideas. Now, with the support of the Bowlby family, several complete and near-complete works from the John Bowlby Archive at the Wellcome Collection are published for the first time. The collection spans Bowlby’s thinking from his early ideas to later reflections, and is split into four parts. Part 1 includes essays on the topic of loss, mourning and depression, outlining his thoughts on the role of defence mechanisms. Part 2 covers Bowlby’s ideas around anxiety, guilt and identification, including reflections on his observations of and work with evacuated children. Part 3 features three seminars on the subject of conflict, in which Bowlby relates clinical concepts to both political philosophy and psychoanalysis in innovative ways. Part 4 consists of Bowlby’s later reflections on trauma and loss, and on his own work as a therapist. This remarkable collection not only clarifies Bowlby’s relationship with psychoanalysis but features his elaboration of key concepts in attachment theory and important moments of self-criticism. It will be essential reading for clinicians, researchers, and others interested in human development, relationships and adversity. Review "This impressive collection of unpublished works provides the reader with an exceptional opportunity to further understand the treasured and influential thoughts and ideas of John Bowlby, especially his theoretical perspective on trauma and loss. This book is a must read for clinicians interested in the applications of attachment theory, for researchers who wish to broaden their understanding of attachment theory, and for developmental psychopathologists whose main principles have been greatly influenced by Bowlby’s brilliant viewpoint. Professionals from a variety of disciplines, in addition to students in developmental and clinical science will profit greatly from a thorough reading of this volume." --Dante Cicchetti, McKnight Presidential Chair, William Harris Professor, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, USA "An extraordinary selection of previously unpublished material giving brilliant insights into the working of a brilliant mind. The editors are to be warmly congratulated on a collection that is not only of immense historical value, but remarkably speaks to current controversies in relation to trauma, resilience and the philosophy of psychological science. An essential supplement to the Bowlby oeuvre." --Peter Fonagy, Professor & Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at UCL; Chief Executive of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, UK "Attachment scholars and clinicians alike will find in this collection a series of rare treasures, among them insights into Bowlby’s bold challenges to psychoanalysis, and into the ways his work laid the groundwork for contemporary relational and trauma theory. These papers, many of them well over fifty years old, remind us – once again – of Bowlby’s brilliance and remarkable prescience in predicting much of what is mainstream developmental and clinical theory today." --Arietta Slade, Clinical Professor at the Yale Child Study Centre and Professor Emerita, Clinical Psychology at the City University of New York, USA "This book is a treasure. What a gift to have further seminal thoughts from one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century. Readers who want to know more about the scientist and those who want to know more about the clinician both will find this book valuable. All will enjoy learning more about the dogged curiosity and humility of this giant of a scholar. Bowlby was way ahead of his time in understanding segregated mental systems, developmental consequences of trauma, and family dynamics. He still speaks to us today about practical current issues such as displacement and migration.