Introduction

Abstract

Juliet Mitchell is widely acknowledged as a groundbreaking theorist and psychoanalyst. Mitchell’s work has been influential, and there are many testimonials to its influence. Grosz (1990, 19) has described her ideas as a “moment of radical rupture” and as having inspired a generation of researchers. And Lament (2013, 12) writes that “Mitchell’s far-ranging sleuthing among numerous domains—psychoanalysis, anthropology, sociology, psychology, literature, and her own personal reflections deserves our applause and high praise.” Mitchell’s role is also significant as a contributor to and commentator on the developments in Western thought since the 1960s. In particular, as Flax (1992, 179) observes, “Mitchell has been an influential contributor to the development of feminist theory. She has entered into and affected some of the most important intellectual and political debates stimulated by the re-emergence of women’s movements.”