Nueva Escuela Lacaniana
The Nueva Escuela Lacaniana (NEL) is a Lacanian psychoanalytic school founded in 2003 under the auspices of the World Association of Psychoanalysis (WAP/AMP). Headquartered in the Caribbean-Andean region with a strong presence in Venezuela, it focuses on the transmission and practice of psychoanalysis in the orientation defined by Jacques Lacan, emphasizing the reconquest of the Freudian field.[1]
| Nueva Escuela Lacaniana | |
|---|---|
| Organization details | |
| Type | Lacanian school |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder(s) | Asociación Mundial de Psicoanálisis (AMP/WAP) |
| Key figures | Graciela Brodsky |
| Orientation | Lacanian |
| Institutional context | |
| Predecessor | Informal Lacanian groups in Latin America |
| Affiliation | World Association of Psychoanalysis |
| Relation to IPA | Independent |
| Operations | |
| Headquarters | Venezuela (Caribbean-Andean region) |
| Geographic scope | Regional (Caribbean-Andean) |
| Training function | Cartels, Pass, Seminars |
As one of the regional schools of the WAP, the NEL represents a key institutional framework for Lacanian analysts in Latin America, particularly in areas previously marked by fragmented local groups. It employs distinctive Lacanian devices such as the cartel and the pass, distinguishing it from hierarchical psychoanalytic societies.[2]
History
Precursors and Origins
The origins of the NEL trace back to the introduction of Lacanian psychoanalysis in Venezuela in 1979, followed by Jacques Lacan's visit to Caracas in 1980, which marked a turning point for psychoanalysis in Latin America by challenging the dominance of small, locally led groups.[1]
Prior to its formal establishment, Lacanian-oriented analysts in the region sustained informal practices aligned with the "reconquest of the Freudian field," a project initiated by Lacan in his 1964 "Act of Foundation" of the École Freudienne de Paris (EFP).[1][3]
Founding (2003)
The NEL was created by the World Association of Psychoanalysis (WAP) in 2003 to advance its program in the Caribbean-Andean region. It built upon existing Lacanian analysts sharing a common language, geopolitical reality, and commitment to Lacan's orientation, rather than starting from scratch.[1]
This founding reflected the broader post-1980 reconfiguration of Lacanian institutions following the dissolution of the EFP in 1980 and the establishment of the WAP by Jacques-Alain Miller.[2]
Organizational Structure
The NEL operates within the WAP's model of Schools, which rejects traditional hierarchical societies based on mutual recognition among training analysts. Instead, it is structured around the recognition of an irreducible non-knowledge—S(ȃ), the signifier of lack in the Other—as the basis for collective work oriented by the invention and transmission of psychoanalytic know-how.[2]
Governance
The school is governed by a directory including a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, supported by a Consejo de Administración comprising key members such as Marta Berenguer, Xavier Giner, and others. This structure facilitates regional coordination across countries like Venezuela and associated groups.[4]
Membership Categories
Membership follows Lacanian grades rather than hierarchies:
- Analyst Member of the School (AME): Advanced members authorized within the school.
- Analyst of the School (AE): Recognized through the pass procedure.[2]
Formation of Analysts
Training in the NEL emphasizes Lacanian devices for transmission, avoiding standardized curricula in favor of flexible, desire-driven elaboration.
Cartels
The NEL extensively uses the cartel, a small working group of four members plus a "Plus-One," proposed by Lacan as an anti-hierarchical device for theoretical and clinical work.[3]
The Pass
The pass (passe) is the central procedure for verifying the end of analysis and authorizing AEs. An analysand concluding analysis presents a testimony to passeurs (peers who have undergone the pass), evaluated by a jury, leading to nomination without hierarchical elevation.[2]
Seminars and Networks
Formation occurs through seminars, clinical sections, and teaching networks, fostering the "return to Freud" via Lacan's mathemes and concepts.[1]
Key Concepts and Orientation
The NEL adheres strictly to the Lacanian orientation, prioritizing:
- The reconquest of the Freudian field.
- The mathema as transmission of the unconscious structured like a language.
- Institutional devices like the cartel and pass to counter the "discourse of the master."[2][1]
These concepts shape its anti-hierarchical structure, distinguishing it from IPA-affiliated societies criticized by Lacan as "SAMCDA" (Société d'Aide Mutuelle des Cathédrales du Divan Analytique).[5]
Notable Members
Publications
The NEL contributes to WAP publications and regional Lacanian journals, though specific titles are coordinated through the broader network.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Unas palabras acerca de la NEL". NEL. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "La Escuela Una". AMP. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jacques Lacan (1964). Acto de fundación.
- ↑ "Institucional". ELP. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ Jacques Lacan (1973). Télévision. Autres écrits.
- ↑ "Structure". Lacanian Compass. Retrieved 2026-01-31.