Reunión Lacanoamericana de Psicoanálisis
The Reunión Lacanoamericana de Psicoanálisis (English: Lacanoamerican Gathering of Psychoanalysis), often referred to simply as the "Lacanoamericana" or "La Lacano", is a major transnational institutional device and biennial congress dedicated to the transmission and advancement of Lacanian psychoanalysis.
| Reunión Lacanoamericana de Psicoanálisis | |
|---|---|
| Organization details | |
| Type | International Psychoanalytic Gathering / Network |
| Founded | 1986 (First Meeting) |
| Founder(s) | Various Lacanian institutions in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay |
| Orientation | Lacanian psychoanalysis |
| Institutional context | |
| Affiliation | Independent (Linked to Convergencia, distinct from WAP and IPA) |
| Operations | |
| Headquarters | Rotates (No permanent headquarters) |
| Geographic scope | Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, etc.) |
| Training function | N/A (Event-based transmission) |
| Publications | Actas de la Reunión Lacanoamericana |
| Website | Varies by organizing host |
Unlike traditional psychoanalytic associations (such as the International Psychoanalytical Association or the World Association of Psychoanalysis), the Reunión is not a permanent, centralized institution with a hierarchical governing board. Instead, it operates as a horizontal, federal network of independent institutions and analysts that dissolves its organizing committee after each event, reforming only to convene the next meeting. It is one of the primary forums for the "independent" Lacanian movement in Latin America, particularly in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.[1]
History
Precursors and Context
The origins of the Reunión lie in the rapid expansion of Lacanian psychoanalysis in Latin America during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Following the death of Jacques Lacan in 1981 and the dissolution of the École Freudienne de Paris, the international Lacanian movement fractured. While one faction organized under Jacques-Alain Miller into the centralized World Association of Psychoanalysis (WAP), many South American groups sought a different institutional model—one that avoided the vertical hierarchy of the "One School" and preserved local autonomy.
The theoretical kernel of the movement is often traced to Lacan's visit to Caracas in July 1980, known as the "Caracas Seminar." It was here that Lacan addressed the Latin American analysts, acknowledging their significance to the future of his teaching.[2]
Founding (1986)
The first official Reunión Lacanoamericana took place in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from December 5–7, 1986.[3] It was convened by a coalition of Argentine, Uruguayan, and Brazilian institutions that wished to create a space for exchange "in one's own name" (en nombre propio)—meaning analysts could present work without representing the official line of a school.
This founding moment established the Reunión's distinctive logic: a rejection of a permanent "supra-institution" in favor of a recurring "link" (lazo) maintained solely by the desire to work on psychoanalysis.
Organizational Structure
The Reunión utilizes a unique institutional device designed to prevent the accumulation of power and bureaucratic ossification.
The "Convoking" Model
There is no permanent President or Board of Directors. The organization of each meeting is entrusted to a specific set of "Convoking Institutions" (Instituciones Convocantes) in the host city. Once the meeting concludes, this committee dissolves. The decision for the next venue is made by a General Assembly of participants at the end of each gathering.
Principles of Participation
- Equality of Speech: Participation is open to members of any institution (or none).
- No Selection Committee: Unlike scientific congresses that vet papers, the Reunión often operates on a principle where all submitted papers are accepted for presentation, provided they meet basic formatting requirements. This emphasizes the responsibility of the speaker rather than institutional authorization.
- Rotation: The venue strictly rotates between countries, primarily Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, though meetings have also been held in other locations.
Key Controversies and Splits
The Reunión defined itself partly in opposition to the hegemony of the World Association of Psychoanalysis (WAP). A major defining moment occurred in 1991, during the assembly to decide the location of the next meeting. A motion was proposed to hold the next Reunión in Paris, France. The assembly voted against this, deciding to keep the gathering within the Americas (specifically Porto Alegre, Brazil). This vote solidified the "American" identity of the Reunión and rejected a "return to the Father" (France/Europe) as the center of legitimacy.[4]
This divergence eventually contributed to the formation of Convergencia, a broader international movement founded in 1998 that links the Lacanoamerican groups with independent European analysts, though the Reunión remains a distinct, specifically American device.
Theoretical Orientation
The Reunión is strictly **Lacanian**, but it is characterized by a "plural" reading of Lacan. Unlike the Millerian orientation which often centers on the "Late Lacan" and the Pass, the Reunión accommodates diverse readings, including:
- The importance of the topological clinic.
- A strong emphasis on the political implications of psychoanalysis in the Latin American context (post-dictatorship democracy, human rights).
- A focus on the "transference of work" rather than the "transfer of grades" (hierarchy).
Notable Associated Institutions
While the Reunión has no permanent members, several historic institutions have been central to its continuity:
- Escuela Freudiana de la Argentina (EFA) - Founded by Oscar Masotta.
- Mayéutica - Institución Psicoanalítica (Argentina).
- Escuela Freudiana de Montevideo (Uruguay).
- Intersecção Psicanalítica do Brasil.
- Apola (Apertura para Otro Lacan).
Publications
The Reunión does not publish a regular journal but issues Proceedings (Actas) after each gathering. These volumes constitute a massive archive of clinical and theoretical production in the region.
- Actas de la Reunión Lacanoamericana de Psicoanálisis (Published biennially by the host organizing committee).