Joseph Scalia III and Lynne S. Scalia, "Critical Consciousness: Beyond Impasses in Environmentalism, Psychoanalysis, and Education" (Routledge, 2025)

Feb 5, 2026

Joseph Scalia III, psychoanalyst and environmental activist who co-directs the Institute for a Democratic Psychoanalysis, joins to explore intersections of environmentalism, education, and psychoanalysis. He discusses institutional censorship and pluralism in training. Conversations range from grassroots versus mainstream conservation, hidden aims in schooling, wilderness as ethical grounding, and strategies for democratic, non-doctrinal reform.

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INSIGHT

Interlinked Crises Need Broad Transformation

Joseph Scalia connects psychoanalysis, environmentalism, and education as mutually informing fields that reveal ideological impasses.
He argues these systems require a broad transformation of society rather than piecemeal reforms.

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INSIGHT

Environmentalism's Two Blind Spots

Scalia criticizes mainstream environmentalism for accommodating big money and neoliberal narratives that blunt protection efforts.
He warns grassroots groups also stagnate by repeating the same simple preservation message without broader societal engagement.

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INSIGHT

Mondialization And The Common Good

Drawing on Castoriadis and Francophone thinkers, Scalia highlights 'mondialization' as a concept that probes cultural and democratic erosion beyond economic globalization.
He suggests cultivating a notion of the common good that integrates cultural plurality and democratic imagination.

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Why write Critical Consciousness?

00:21 • 3min

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Scalia's multidisciplinary background

02:51 • 2min

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Mainstream versus grassroots environmentalism

04:43 • 3min

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Education, neoliberalism, and hidden aims

07:24 • 2min

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Transformation beyond identity politics

09:16 • 4min

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Worldization and the human question

13:20 • 3min

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Institute for Democratic Psychoanalysis (IDP)

15:51 • 3min

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Rethinking psychoanalytic training

18:35 • 3min

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Resistance within psychoanalytic institutes

21:53 • 2min

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Christopher Bollas' influence

23:32 • 1min

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Pluralism in analytic formation

25:00 • 5min

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Lifelong analytic journey and companions

29:42 • 3min

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Terra and Deimos: earth and people

33:06 • 3min

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Wildness, the real, and being alive

36:29 • 2min

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Proximity to death and living fully

38:38 • 3min

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Analysts 'pretending' and the end of analysis

41:20 • 6min

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Critical consciousness in environmental disputes

46:52 • 5min

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Ethic pairing earth and human relations

51:35 • 4min

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Finding pockets of resistance

55:20 • 4min

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Hope, act-as-if, and continuing struggle

Attacks Upon Psychic Interiority

Joseph Scalia III

This book explores the profound impact of psychic attacks on an individual's inner world, delving into the subtle yet devastating forms of emotional and psychological abuse. Joseph Scalia III examines how such violence can erode a person's sense of self, leading to feelings of isolation, alienation, and a loss of vitality. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory and clinical case studies, the book offers insights into the dynamics of psychic violence and its far-reaching consequences. Scalia explores the ways in which individuals can begin to heal from these wounds and reclaim their inner lives. By understanding the nature of these attacks, readers can learn to identify and resist them, ultimately fostering resilience and a stronger sense of self.

Critical Consciousness

Beyond Impasses in Environmentalism, Psychoanalysis, and Education

Joseph Scalia III

Lynn Scalia

Critical Consciousness: Beyond Impasses in Environmentalism, Psychoanalysis, and Education provides insight into the antagonism and disputative dialogue present in contemporary discourse. Taking a broad, pluralistic psychoanalytic perspective, the authors shed light on how and why ideology and conflict have infiltrated education, environmentalism, and psychoanalysis. This book unpacks forms of indoctrination and rejection of new ideas in environmentalism, considers the desubjectification of the human in mental health 'services,' and assesses how the educational world needs leaders who can articulate unspoken educational aims that perpetuate inequalities, hidden oppression, and their pathogenic effects on disenfranchised groups. This book takes account of the competing schools of psychoanalysis, their members' dismissiveness and enmity toward each other, and their rationalized resistances to discussion across the aisles. From that viewscape, a challenging path forward is proposed.

The Cure for Psychoanalysis

Adam Phillips

Adam Phillips' 'The Cure for Psychoanalysis' challenges conventional notions of therapeutic success and explores the paradoxical nature of psychoanalytic treatment. Phillips argues that psychoanalysis is not about achieving a definitive cure but rather about cultivating a capacity for uncertainty and self-reflection. He suggests that the most valuable outcome of analysis is the ability to tolerate ambiguity and to embrace the complexities of the human psyche. Phillips emphasizes the importance of playfulness and creativity in the analytic process, encouraging both analyst and patient to resist the urge for fixed interpretations. The book invites readers to reconsider their expectations of therapy and to embrace the ongoing journey of self-discovery.

#1169

• Mentioned in 31 episodes

Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Paulo Freire

Paulo Freire's "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" is a seminal work in education theory that critiques traditional, banking-style education and advocates for a more liberating approach. Freire argues that education should be a transformative process that empowers students to critically analyze their world and challenge oppressive structures. He emphasizes dialogue and participatory learning as essential tools for fostering critical consciousness and social change. The book's enduring influence lies in its challenge to traditional power dynamics in education and its call for a more just and equitable learning environment. Freire's work has inspired educators and activists around the world to rethink their approaches to teaching and learning.

The Vitality of Objects

exploring the work of Christopher Ballas

Joseph Scalia III

Christopher Ballas

This anthology delves into the transformative power of objects and their profound influence on human experience, exploring the work of Christopher Bollas. Examining objects as carriers of meaning and catalysts for emotional growth, the book explores how individuals form deep connections with the world around them. Through essays and case studies, the book explores how objects shape our sense of self and our relationships with others. The book highlights how engagement with objects can facilitate self-discovery, creativity, and healing. By recognizing the vitality inherent in objects, readers can gain a richer appreciation for the ways in which our environment shapes our lives.

Critical Consciousness: Beyond Impasses in Environmentalism, Psychoanalysis, and Education (Routledge, 2025) provides insight into the antagonism and disputative dialogue present in contemporary discourse.

Taking a broad, pluralistic psychoanalytic perspective, the authors shed light on how and why ideology and conflict have infiltrated education, environmentalism, and psychoanalysis. This book unpacks forms of indoctrination and rejection of new ideas in environmentalism, considers the desubjectification of the human in mental health "services," and assesses how the educational world needs leaders who can articulate unspoken educational aims that perpetuate inequalities, hidden oppression, and their pathogenic effects on disenfranchised groups. This book takes account of the competing schools of psychoanalysis, their members' dismissiveness and enmity toward each other, and their rationalized resistances to discussion across the aisles. From that viewscape, a challenging path forward is proposed.

Critical Consciousness is of great interest to psychoanalysts in practice and in training, and to readers interested in the psychological aspects of dehumanization, competition, and opposing group identity.

Ben Greenberg, PsyD is a psychologist, psychoanalyst, and founding director of the Center for Dynamic Practice in Santa Fe, NM. After a wonderful recent conversation with Tracy Morgan about Psychoanalysis, she suggested I become a host to do interviews about a few books I mentioned I'm excited about. I love to hear interviews about new books. I have published several scientific papers among other written media, and am working on a few book manuscripts as well.

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