Subject and Politics

Critical political psychology has its origins in the theory developed by the Frankfurt School. It combines sociological and psychoanalytic approaches and is orientated toward the subject: its needs, its sufferings under the given social conditions, and its resistance against them. The capability to act politically is the main concern of critical political psychology. As will be demonstrated, in contrast to most approaches of psychoanalytic social psychology, this concept of the subject basically encompasses socialisatorical, inter-actional, linguistic and institutional aspects. On this basis it is able to outline the structure of a democratic subject which is immunized against the delusions present in its existential context, thus being able, instead, to pursue life politics sensually and rationally.