A Psychoanalytic Framework for Civic Renewal by Karyne E Messina

A Psychoanalytic Framework for Civic Renewal by Karyne E Messina

A Psychoanalytic Framework for Civic Renewal: Reimagining Democracy from the Ground Up offers a compelling and original thesis: that the global crisis of democracy is not a purely political or economic problem but a deeply rooted psychological and relational one. The book synthesizes key psychoanalytic and psychological concepts to argue that the health of a democracy is directly tied to the citizenry’s capacity for mentalization—the foundational ability to understand ourselves and others in terms of our inner thoughts, feelings, and intentions. It methodically builds its argument, beginning with the developmental origins of mentalization in infancy and linking it to attachment theory and the cognitive function of theory of mind. It then expands this framework to the societal level, demonstrating how a collective failure to mentalize leads to the collapse of epistemic trust and a dangerous regression to primitive psychological defenses like splitting and "us vs. them" thinking. The work presents a powerful, integrated solution: a new educational model that cultivates not only mentalization and its core social–emotional skills but also the complementary intellectual capacity for critical thinking. This book serves as a vital resource for educators, policy makers, and mental health professionals, offering an interdisciplinary framework that bridges the divide between abstract political theory and practical, psychological solutions.

‘Democracy is more than a set of institutional rules; it is a collective psychological enterpriseThis book bridges the gap between the clinical consulting room and the democratic town square to offer a profound diagnostic of our current age of polarization. At its core is the concept of mentalization—the essential human capacity to perceive others as complex, thinking beings.

Through a rigorous synthesis of attachment theory, developmental neuroscience, and an analysis of critical theory, the text demonstrates how the erosion of 'epistemic trust' has collapsed our shared reality, leaving us trapped in a landscape of tribal signaling. This is more than a theoretical critique; it is an urgent pedagogical roadmap. By advocating for a 'mentalizing stance' within our K–12 schools and wider communities, the book provides a verifiable path toward civic repair and psychological resilience. It is essential reading for educators, clinicians, and citizens seeking to understand the deep-seated psychological roots of our political fracturing—and how we might begin the work of building a more reflective and secure democratic future.’

Harry Gill, MD, Ph.D.

Karyne E. Messina is a psychologist and psychoanalyst. She is on the medical staff of Suburban Hospital, which is part of Johns Hopkins Medicine. She is Chair of the American Psychoanalytic Association’s Scholarship and Writing committee, which is part of the Department of Psychoanalytic Education. She is also a member of the President’s Commission on Artificial Intelligence.

Dr. Messina has also written eight books and has three additional publications to be released in 2026 and 2027, focusing on applying psychoanalytic ideas to complex real-world issues we all face. She is currently writing a book, to be released this year, about the connection between mechanisms of defense—projection and projective identification—and AI bias, titled Using Psychoanalysis to Understand and Address AI Bias: Refractions in the Digital Mirror.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781041297727
ISBN 10	1041297726
Title	A Psychoanalytic Framework for Civic Renewal
Author	Karyne E Messina
Series	Psychoanalysis Technology And The Future
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Routledge
Year published	2026-08-24
Number of pages	72
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.