Books by Vamik D. Volkan

The author has three goals in writing this book. The first is to explore large-group identity such as ethnic identity, diplomacy, political propaganda, terrorism and the role of leaders in international affairs. The second goal is to describe societal and political responses to trauma at the hands of the Other, large-group mourning.

The author provides clinical illustrations of primitive transference and counter transference manifestations. He defines "satellite states" in which an individual finds a balance between experiencing individuation and remaining dependent on the Other and "crucial juncture" experiences.

Searching for the Perfect Woman is a thorough account of a five-year psychoanalysis with a deeply troubled, yet successful man-the attention to technique and theory, accompanied by an in-depth interview with Vamik Volkan, makes this an excellent resource for teaching psychoanalytic technique. Beyond the technical merits, the narrative structure and style reads like a novel, drawing lay readers into the fascinating story of Hamilton's life and his eventual cure.

This book concerns itself with the third element of the psychological impact of massive human trauma: transgenerational transmission of psychological tasks.

A timely and urgently needed exploration of ethnic violence through a psychoanalytic lens, examining how personal identity interwines with nationality to create hatred of others.