Passions in girls and women: Toward a bridge between critical relational theory of gender and modern conflict theory

This paper considers (1) some aspects of the lack of dialogue among psychoa nalytic schools; (2) Brenner's (1982) conception of drives and drive deriva tives as inextricably linked to relationships, and some of its less-appreci ated implications; (3) the debate over the importance of child hood sexuali ty in mental life; (4) the attempts by relational theorists to address and reintegrate the role of sexuality and gender, particularly in the study of feminine psychology; (5) the problematic role of aggression in psychoanalyt ic theories of women; (6) the avoidance by both men and women of women's pa ssions and their anatomical loci, especially the clitoris, whose only funct ion is the provision of pleasure; and (7) the suggestion that an integrated theory, including an understanding of the role of the body as well as of t he passions and the defenses against them, results in the most effective cl inical psychoanalytic approach. It then suggests that a bridge could be bui lt between a relational point of view that takes into consideration the rol e of bodily experiences. and a classical point of view in which drive is se en as inextricably linked to relationships from birth on.