Borderline histories: psychoanalysis inside and out

Area of Science:

• Clinical Psychology
• History of Medicine
• Sociology of Science

Background:

• Externalist and internalist perspectives dominate sociological and historical analyses of clinical practices.
• The emergence of the "new patient" or borderline personality has been linked to cultural narratives of societal decline.

Observation:

• The study critiques the historical accuracy of decline narratives, particularly their assumption of novel forms of personhood.
• Internalist accounts are also questioned for asserting an elusive coherence and stable referent for the borderline category.

Findings:

• The analysis of knowledge production within the clinical encounter suggests the "new patient" was primarily new to psychoanalysis.
• The historical novelty of the borderline patient beyond psychoanalysis remains uncertain, challenging critical assertions.

Implications:

• This challenges established historical accounts of the borderline personality and its place in clinical disciplines.
• It calls for a more nuanced understanding of disciplinary practices and knowledge production in defining patient categories.