Social Dreaming in the 21st Century

John Clare and Ali Zarbafi are psychotherapists working in Wales and London. They have worked together since 1998 in various dreaming matrixes in England, France and Wales, and are currently working with social dreams in the community of Hay-on-Wye.

• Foreword -- Introduction -- Social dreaming and the self -- The night train of social dreams -- Dreaming after 9/11 -- Sweet honey in the rock -- The end of the dance: Dreams at a literary festival -- We are all slaves to babble—land: A mass dreaming experiment -- Dreaming in the inner city -- Too late! Social dreaming in the Haute Languedoc -- Conclusion

Originally the authors had both studied sociology which, when complemented by psychotherapy, has found expression in the amalgam of 'dreaming and the social' which is the territory of this book. Thus, this work is a collaboration between two different analytic traditions, produced in the spirit of shared ideas, acknowledged differences and a mutual belief in free association and the primacy of the dream. In addition to Freud and Jung, it is influenced by thinkers such as Donald Winnicott, Wilfred Bion and Christopher Bollas, and readers will find an exposition of some of their ideas in the Chapter on Social Dreaming and the Self. The work of Gordon Lawrence has also been an overarching influence since the authors first worked with him in 1994.'This is the book I have been waiting to read. I have yearned for a book that would examine contemporary culture through the imaginative critique of psychoanalysis. I did not want a theory-poem, or authorial brilliance. I yearned for the sort of book that I knew would teach me something and which I could recommend to others. The authors' passion embraces the subject matter in ways that is more than inspiring and hopeful. It is such a relief to read!'- Christopher Bollas, author of The Freudian Moment, The Infinite Question and The Evocative Object World'Clare and Zarbafi have written a book of dream research that is, probably, unrivalled because of the profundity of the detail of dreaming and their discussions of each dreaming event ... a major contribution to the social dreaming project.'- Gordon Lawrence from the ForewordContents1 Social dreaming and the self - John Clare2 The night train of social dreaming - Ali Zarbafi3 Dreaming after 9/114 Sweet honey in the rock5 The end of the dance: dreams at a literary festival: Addendum by Jane Storr6 We are all slaves to babble-land7 Dreaming in the inner city: counselling with adolescents8 Too late! Dreaming in the Haute Languedoc9 Conclusion