The troubled mind of Northern Ireland: Social care object relations theory and political conflict

Abstract

Although a great deal has been written about the Northern Irish conflict, there have been few attempts to apply psychoanalytical theory to social work, social care and health care practice. In this paper the authors argue that object relations theory, in particular the work of Klein and post-Kleinian writers, can be used to explore the relationship between wider social conflict, individual thought processes and professional interventions. Object relations theory will be used to illustrate how conflictual states of mind find their way into everyday discourses. In particular the concepts of paranoid-schizoid functioning, destructive narcissism, manic defences and psychotic personality functioning are used to highlight the way in which madness becomes part of a way of life in a society exposed to 30 years of the troubles. The authors conclude that a wider use of object relations theory may be helpful to professionals in the context of the current peace process in Northern Ireland.