REVISTA DE PSICOANÁLISIS

The Argentine Psychoanalytic Association was founded in 1942. The Revista de Psicoanálisis, its official organ, appeared only seven months later, in 1943. Its first editor was Arnaldo Rascovsky, one of the pioneers of the Argentine psychoanalytic movement.

The Revista has appeared continuously ever since, without interruption; it is thus the oldest psychoanalytic journal in the Spanish language, as well as one of the oldest psychoanalytic journals in the world. From its beginning until 1976, the Revista de Psicoanálisis appeared four times a year; since 1977 it has appeared six times yearly. These circumstances, plus its edition (print run) of 2,000 issues, its scientific quality, its prestige, and the important role it has played in the diffusion of psychoanalysis in Latin America, have caused the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA) to choose the Revista to publish its Bulletin in Spanish whenever it was required, to publish the "pre-published" Congress papers, and to have the first right to choose the Congress papers it wishes to publish. In return, the Argentine Psychoanalytic Association sends an adequate number of the issues, containing the Bulletin and the pre-published Congress papers, to each of the IPA's Spanish-speaking component societies.

At first, the Revista contained more translated papers than local productions. Long ago this situation was reversed, however, and the scientific production of Argentine analysts has come account for the vast majority of papers in a given issue.

Many of Freud's papers appeared in Spanish for the first time in the Revista ; for instance, "Analysis Terminable and Interminable," in 1946. The Freudian tradition has remained continuous through the years. All "classic" authors and their continuators have had a place in the Revista. Also all contemporary schools or frames of reference have found their place there, either in their original authors' publications, or through the papers of local followers.

Argentina is equally far from both Europe and the United States. This circumstance has many disadvantages but some advantages, that is: psychoanalysts from Argentina have been able to maintain a relative independence of thought, have been exposed to all frames of references, and have been able to avoid compromises, political or otherwise, with a given system of thought. This pluralism is reflected in the Revista de Psicoanálisis ; the titles and authors who have appeared in it offer a balanced view of current psychoanalytic thinking. Also, in the bibliography of the papers of Argentinian analysts, it is usual to find references to European, North American, and Latin American authors. Some decades ago the Kleinian School was preponderant, as European authors have become somewhat preponderant.

Following an international trend, the Revista has begun to publish issues with a given theme. In addition, a "Special International Issue," also with a given theme, has appeared, but with the collaboration of invited and interested prominent analysts from many countries.

In spite of its respectable age, the Revista de Psicoanálisis remains an extremely active, contemporary, and purposely pluralistic publication.

Carlos Mario Aslan

See also: Argentina; Cárcamo, Celes Ernesto; Rascovsky, Arnaldo.