Jessica Benjamin, born on January 17, 1946, is an American feminist psychoanalyst, teacher, and writer. In addition to running a private psychotherapeutic practice in New York City, she is a faculty member at NYU's Postdoctoral Psychology Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.
After earning her bachelor's degree cum laude at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1967, Benjamin traveled to Germany to pursue graduate work. She earned her MA in 1971 at the University of Frankfurt in West Germany, studying Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy at the Institute for Social Research. Returning to the States, she taught as a visiting professor of Sociology at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. When Benjamin earned her PhD in Sociology from NYU in 1978, she became a fellow in the New York Institute for the Humanities. During this time she organized a conference called "The Second Sex, Thirty Years Later." Between 1980 and 1983, she conducted research on the social context of mother-infant interactions at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, funded by a National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health.
A prolific writer, Benjamin has published articles and books on psychoanalysis and feminism, specifically analyzing the dynamics of human relationships. Her first book, published in 1988,
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Jessica Benjamin Papers, Ms.2011.027, Feminist Theory Archive, Brown University Library.
This collection documents the writings and activities of feminist psychoanalyst Jessica Benjamin from the early 1970s through the early 2000s. It consists primarily of drafts of articles and books that she authored and versions of her writings delivered at lectures and public talks. Also included are letters and other correspondence, photographs, conference brochures and flyers, photocopies of articles used for research or reference, and syllabi and readings from courses she has taught. Most of the material documents Benjamin's professional life as a teacher, writer and psychoanalyst. The collection is predominantly in English, but does include some material in German.
Series one, Writings, contains essays, articles, reviews, and manuscripts. It includes subseries dedicated to Benjamin's dissertation, written in 1977, and notes and drafts for her book
This collection is arranged into the following series:
Series 1: Writings. Subseries 1: Dissertation, arranged by chapter. Subseries 2: Desire of One's Own, versions delivered at talks, arranged roughly chronologically. Subseries 3: Bonds of Love, papers and notes, chapters arranged in sequence. Subseries 4: Articles and Essays. Subseries 5: Talks and Lectures. Subseries. 6: Reviews.
Series 2: Professional Materials. Subseries 1: Subject Files, created by donor. Subseries 2: Teaching Materials. Subseries 3: Therapeutic Practice. Subseries 4: Correspondence. Subseries 5: Conference Materials. Subseries 6: Miscellaneous.
Series 3: Personal Materials. Subseries 1: Correspondence. Subseries 2: Photographs. Subseries 3: Newspaper and Magazines. Subseries 4: Miscellaneous.
Gift of Jessica Benjamin in 2011.