Frederick Douglass, a Psychobiography - Rethinking Subjectivity in the Western Experiment of Democracy

In the extreme context of the American slavocracy, how do we account for the robust subjectivity and agency of Frederick Douglass?  In an environment of extremity, where most contemporary psychological theory suggests the human spirit would be vanquished, how did Frederick Douglass emerge to become one of the most prolific thinkers of the 19th century? To address this question, this book engages in a psychoanalytic examination of all four of Frederick Douglass' autobiographies.  Danjuma Gibson examines when, how, and why Douglass tells his story in the manner he does, how his story shifts and takes shape with each successive autobiography, and the resulting psychodynamic, pastoral, and practical theological implications. 

List of contents

1. Introduction.- 2. The Intersubjective-Matrix of the Slavocracy: Experiencing the World of Frederick Douglass.- 3. Reimagining Black Subjectivity: A Psychoanalysis of Frederick Douglass.- 4. A New Birth: Agency Over Body and Sacred Spaces of Play.- 5. The Force of Being, Life-Stories, and the Counter-Narrative: A Brief Comment on Cultural Trauma and Resiliency in Personal Testimony.- 6. A Constructive Theology of Deliverance: Redeeming the Internal Force of Being.- 7. Remembering, Lament, and Public Ritual: Redeeming the Democratic Experiment. 

About the author

Danjuma Gibson is Associate Professor of Pastoral Care at Calvin Theological Seminary, USA. 

Summary

In the extreme context of the American slavocracy, how do we account for the robust subjectivity and agency of Frederick Douglass?  In an environment of extremity, where most contemporary psychological theory suggests the human spirit would be vanquished, how did Frederick Douglass emerge to become one of the most prolific thinkers of the 19th century? To address this question, this book engages in a psychoanalytic examination of all four of Frederick Douglass’ autobiographies.  Danjuma Gibson examines when, how, and why Douglass tells his story in the manner he does, how his story shifts and takes shape with each successive autobiography, and the resulting psychodynamic, pastoral, and practical theological implications. 

Report

 

Product details

• Authors: Danjuma G Gibson, Danjuma G. Gibson
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2019
• EAN: 9783030091767
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3009176-7
• No. of pages: 192
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 11 mm x 210 mm
• Weight: 268 g
• Illustrations: VII, 192 p.
• Series: Black Religion/Womanist Thought/Social Justice
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; B, Cultural Studies, Medical counselling, Africa, Psychology, Religion: general, Theology, Psychotherapy, Politics & government, Counseling, African American Culture, African Politics, Psychotherapy and Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Religion and Philosophy, Africa—Politics and government, Religion and Psychology, Psychology and religion, Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, Black Theology, African Americans, slavery;civil war;lincoln;Frederick Douglass;confederacy