Jacques Lacan

Pioneers of Human Behaviour: Jacques Lacan
A Gateway to His Life, Theories, and Legacy

Jacques Lacan was one of the most provocative and enigmatic figures in 20th-century psychology. Called “the French Freud,” he reinterpreted psychoanalysis through the lenses of linguistics, philosophy, and structuralism — challenging even his own profession to rethink the unconscious. His ideas on the mirror stage, the symbolic order, and the role of language in shaping identity continue to influence psychoanalysis, philosophy, and cultural theory.

This concise yet powerful volume distils Lacan’s life’s work into clear, engaging chapters. From his early training as a psychiatrist to his audacious seminars in Paris, you’ll discover the man who redefined the relationship between self, desire, and language — and why his thought still sparks debate today.

Alongside an accessible exploration of Lacan’s theories, you’ll discover:
• How the mirror stage reshapes our understanding of identity formation.
• Why Lacan insisted that “the unconscious is structured like a language.”
• The role of the symbolic, the imaginary, and the real in human experience.
• How his ideas challenged orthodox Freudian psychoanalysis.
• The controversies and enduring legacy of his seminars and writings.

Part biography, part theory guide, and part reflection on legacy, this book offers both a portrait of Lacan as a person and a gateway into his complex but enduringly influential thought. Written to be accessible without oversimplifying, it’s ideal for students, therapists, philosophers, and curious readers alike.

The Pioneers of Human Behaviour series celebrates the lives and legacies of psychology’s greatest minds, presenting timeless insights in a format designed to inspire, inform, and endure.