Strange Dislocations

This interdisciplinary work masterfully blends social history, cultural studies, and the history of psychology to investigate a profound modern obsession: the search for a lost self and the haunting belief that its essence can be found in the figure of a child. Carolyn Steedman guides readers through a century of thought, revealing how physiological and psychological theories have converged to shape our deepest understandings of identity and the past. The book meticulously traces how a sense of dislocation and a yearning for origins became crystallized around the image of childhood, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in the construction of the modern self.

What makes this study so distinctive is its refusal to remain within a single academic discipline, instead creating a rich tapestry that connects evolving scientific ideas with broader cultural currents. Readers of intellectual history and those fascinated by the concept of nostalgia will find its arguments particularly resonant, as it powerfully demonstrates how the child became the central symbol for everything we feel we have lost. The result is a thought-provoking exploration that permanently alters how one perceives the relationship between memory, identity, and the stories we tell about our own beginnings.