The screen, as recent studies in a number of fields indicate, is a cultural object due for critical reappraisal. Work on the theoretical status of screen objects tends to focus upon the materialisation of surface; in other words, it attempts to rethink the relationship between the supposedly 'superficial' facade and the 'functional' object itself. I suggest that this work, while usefully chipping away at the dichotomy between the 'superficial' and the 'functional', can lead us to a more radical conclusion when read in the context of subjectivity. By rethinking the relationship between the surface and the obverse face of the screen as the terms of a dialectic, we can ‘read’ the screen as the vital component in a process which constitutes the Subject. In order to demonstrate this, I analyse productions of subjectivity in literary texts of the twenty-first century — in doing so, I assume the novel as nonpareil arena of the dramatisation of subjectivity — and I propose a reading of the work of Jacques Lacan as hitherto unacknowledged theorist par excellence of the form and function of the screen. Lacan describes, with the function of desire and the formation of the screen of fantasy, the primary position this ‘screen-form' inhabits in the constitution of the Subject. Lacan’s work forms a critical juncture through which we must proceed if we are to properly read and understand the chosen texts: The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber; The Tain by China Miéville; Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood; and Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald. In each text, I analyse the particular materialisations of the screen and interrogate the constitution of the subject and the locus of desire. By analysing the vicissitudes of subjectivity in these texts, I make a claim for the study of the screen as constituting a central question in the field of contemporary literature.

The films of David Lynch are full of ambiguities that derive from his habitual distortion of time, inversion of characters, and creation of ironic, dreamlike worlds that are mired in crisis. While these ambiguities have been explored from numerous angles, scholars have only recently begun to closely examine music's role in Lynch's cinematic imagination. This dissertation explores the relationship between music and fantasy through the lens of Lacanian psychoanalysis where fantasy plays a crucial role in helping psychoanalytical subjects work through their psychical crises. In particular, I look at Blue Velvet (1986), Lost Highway (1996), and Mulholland Drive (2001), showing how Lynch employs music to manage and, in the case of Mulholland Drive, move beyond the particular crises of jouissance experienced by the Characters--and also the viewers. Before engaging in my analysis of Lynch's film music, however, I begin with an extended discussion of what Kevin Korsyn describes as the current crisis of music scholarship, examining how this crisis manifests itself in recent "postmodern" interpretations of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Few works are invested with as much cultural capital as this one and arguably the discourse around it exhibits the crisis more acutely than any other. Korsyn restricts his analysis to the fields of musicology and music theory, but I approach the crisis of music scholarship obliquely, through my Lacanian reading of Lynch's film music. This dissertation, then, has two goals. On one hand it attempts to examine music's role in Lynch's films, and on the other, it explores how Lynch's use of music might aid us in navigating and moving beyond the institutional crises of music scholarship. This Lynchian solution to our crisis provides a glimpse of what might lie beyond postmodernism, a new philosophical movement some are calling the "New Sincerity." This term covers several loosely related cultural or philosophical movements that have followed in the wake of postmodernism, the most notable being what Raoul Eshelman and Judith Butler refer to as "performatism." Finally, I return to Beethoven's Ninth to offer a second, performative reading, demonstrating how Lynch's use of music can be translated into current musical discourse. / text

Text in English with abstracts in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu / There has been considerable debate amongst feminist scholars as to whether the normalization of cosmetic surgery positively impacts women, empowers women by promoting agency and choice (Gimlin 2002, Kuczynski 2006), or oppresses women by propagating patriarchal ideologies that confine women’s bodies and consequently inhibit their voice (Blum 2003, Blood 2005, Heinricy 2006, Clarke and Griffin 2007, Tait, 2007). Rather than entering this debate my argument proceeds from a premise that the normalization of cosmetic surgery is a form of implicit and exclusive violence. Using a selection of post‐structuralist, feminist, and psychoanalytic theories, I analyze the manner in which this form of violence confines women’s bodies and structures the psyche. Using Jacques Lacan, Judith Butler, and Michel Foucault’s argument on pastoral power, I deconstruct the formation of the normalized self, the conscience, and the act of confession as it translates in the context of the cosmetic surgical body itself. Furthermore, I highlight liberal feminism’s role in this form of oppression. In so doing, I theoretically show the continual and effective functioning of pastoral power in the context of an individualization technique that oppresses women in the second decade of the twenty‐first century. I argue that the normalization of cosmetic surgery provokes a silencing of woman’s voices, an exploitation and oppression of the individual’s psyche, and an invalidation of the living body by a less visible, less explicit, mode of incarceration that is concealed by an aesthetic and moral veil. It is in this context that I present a counter discourse to the oppression that underlies the normalizing discourses promoted by the cosmetic surgical industry, a destabilization of patriarchal norms embedded within cosmetic surgical discourses, and a theoretical reconstruction that involves an inscription of what I refer to as an authentic feminist voice in contemporary consumer culture – a mode of intimate unconscious insurgence. I advocate a return to Julia Kristeva’s theory and the intimate revolt promoted by her ethical approach. Furthermore, I present a voice that demonstrates an intimate revolt – a voice that challenges patriarchal norms and is not exclusively confined by the mechanisms of normalization that shape the twenty‐first century woman with emphasis on the cosmetic surgical industry and its superincumbent discourses – the South African poet Antjie Krog. It is Krog’s skillfully structured poetic texts that facilitate my theoretical reconstruction. Applying Kristeva’s theory on semanalysis, I theoretically show that Krog’s work fabricates an excess to the confines of the law of the Father and the mechanisms of normalization itself. In addition, I present an “originary attachment” as an adaption of Kristeva’s argument on the chora and my proposal of an “originary ideal” challenges Kristeva’s emphasis on phonetic grams in the context of that which underlies the realm of the paternal metaphor. Using Louise Viljoen’s analysis of Krog’s work and Bridget Garnham’s research on emerging designer cosmetic surgical discourses as support, I then present Krog’s poetic texts as a counter discourse to the “moral” cosmetic surgical discourses that exploit the ageing individual in the second decade of the twenty‐first century. In addition, applying Kristeva’s theory on paragrams to Krog’s poetic text(s), I present a destabilization of the patriarchal norms implicit within cosmetic surgical discourses. Furthermore, I extend Kristeva’s theory on the principle of negativity to present a re‐translation of the act‐of‐confession in Krog’s poetic text(s), an extension of Foucault’s pastoral power and Butler’s argument on the exclusivity of normalization, and a reclamation of her ageing body in Verweersrkrif/Body Bereft (Krog 2006). / Feministiese geleerdes voer al geruime tyd 'n warm debat oor die kwessie of die normalisering van kosmetiese chirurgie vroue positief beïnvloed, vroue bemagtig deurdat dit volmag en keuse vir hulle in die hand werk (Gimlin 2002; Kuczynski 2006), of vroue onderdruk deurdat dit patriargale ideologieë voorstaan wat die vroueliggaam inperk en gevolglik die vrou inhibeer om haar stem te laat hoor (Blood 2005; Blum 2005; Clarke en Griffin 2007; Heinricy 2006; Tait 2007). In plaas daarvan om by hierdie debat betrokke te raak, gaan ek van die veronderstelling uit dat die normalisering van kosmetiese chirurgie 'n vorm van implisiete en eksklusiewe geweld is. Aan die hand van post-strukturalistiese, feministiese en psigoanalitiese teorieë ontleed ek die manier waarop hierdie vorm van geweld vroue se liggaam onderwerp en hul psige vorm. Ek dekonstrueer die vorming van die genormaliseerde self, die bewussyn en die daad van belydenis, soos dit in die konteks oorgebring word, aan die hand van Jacques Lacan, Judith Butler en Michel Foucault se beskouings van herderlike oftewel pastorale mag. Hierbenewens onderstreep ek die rol wat liberale feminisme in hierdie vorm van onderwerping speel. Sodoende demonstreer ek teoreties hoe die voortdurende en effektiewe funksionering van pastorale mag in die konteks van ’n individualiseringstegniek vroue in die tweede dekade van die een-en-twintigste eeu onderdruk. Ek maak die aanname dat die normalisering van kosmetiese chirurgie daartoe bydra dat vroue die swye opgelê word, die individu se psige uitgebuit en onderdruk word en die lewende liggaam ontkragtig word deur middel van ’n inkerkering wat minder sigbaar en minder eksplisiet is en agter ’n estetiese en morele sluier verdoesel word. In hierdie konteks bied ek ’n teendiskoers aan vir die onderwerping wat onderliggend is aan die normaliseringsdiskoerse wat die kosmetiesechirurgiebedryf ondersteun, en ek bepleit dat die patriargale norme wat in diskoerse oor kosmetiese chirurgie vassit, gedestabiliseer word. Ek demonstreer verder ’n teoretiese rekonstruksie wat ’n inskripsie insluit van wat ek ’n geloofwaardige feministiese stem in die eietydse verbruikerskultuur noem – ’n modus van intieme, onbewuste opstandigheid. Ek bepleit 'n terugkeer na Julia Kristeva se teorie en die intieme oproer wat deur haar etiese benadering voorgestaan word. Afgesien hiervan stel ek ’n stem voor wat ’n intieme opstand demonstreer – ’n stem wat patriargale norme uitdaag en nie uitsluitlik onderdruk word deur die normaliseringsmeganismes wat vorm gee aan die vrou van die een-entwintigste eeu nie, waar die klem op die kosmetiesechirurgiebedryf en die boliggende diskoerse daarvan val – Antjie Krog, Suid-Afrikaanse digter. Dit is juis Krog se kunstig gestruktureerde digterlike tekste wat my teoretiese rekonstruksie fasiliteer. Aan die hand van Kristeva se teorie oor semanalise toon ek teoreties dat Krog se werk ’n ruimte daarstel wat "uitstyg" bo die grense wat die wet van die Vader en die normaliseringsmeganismes stel. Hierbenewens stel ek ’n "originêre gehegtheid" as aanpassing van Kristeva se beskouing van die chora voor, en my voorstel van ’n "originêre ideaal" daag Kristeva se opvating oor paragramme uit in die konteks van dit wat ten grondslag lê aan die gebied van die paternalistiese metafoor. Op grond van Louise Viljoen se ontleding van Krog se werk en Bridget Garnham se navorsing oor opkomende diskoerse oor ontwerpers- kosmetiese chirurgie bied ek Krog se digterlike tekste aan as ’n teendiskoers vir die "morele" diskoerse oor kosmetiese chirurgie wat die verouderende individu in die tweede dekade van die een-en-twintigste eeu uitbuit. Daarby, deur Kristeva se teorie oor paragramme op Krog se digterlike teks(te) toe te pas, demonstreer ek 'n destabilisering van die patriargale norme wat implisiet in diskoerse oor kosmetiese chirurgie teenwoordig is. Hierbenewens brei ek Kristeva se teorie oor die negatiwiteitsbeginsel uit deur middel van ’n heroorsetting van die belydenisdaad in Krog se digwerk(e), ’n uitbreiding van Foucault se pastorale mag en Butler se opvatting oor die eksklusiwiteit van normalisering, en ’n opeising van Krog se verouderende liggaam in Verweerskrif/Body Bereft (Krog 2006). / Sekubekhona izingxoxo-mpikiswano eziningi kwizifundiswa zama-feminist ukuthi ngabe ukwenza isurgery yohlinzo olungajulile ukuzishintsha ukubukeka ngokwemvelo (cosmetic plastic surgery) kunomphumela omuhle yini kwabesimame, ngabe kuhlinzeka ngamandla kwabesimame ngokuphakamisela phezulu ukuthi umuntu azenzele akufunayo kanye nokuzikhethela (Grimlin 2002, Kuczynski 2006) noma kuyinto ecindezela abesimame ngokuqhubela phambili indlela nama-idiyoloji abekwa ngabesilisa ukuthi imizimba yabesimame kumele ibukeke kanjani, kanti lokhu kucindezela izwi labesimame (Blum 2003, Blood 2005, Heinricy 2006, Clarke and Griffin 2007, Tait, 2007). Kunokuthi iphuzu nami ngingenele kule ngxoxo-mpikiswano, elami iphuzu lona liqhubeka ukusukela kwisimo sokuthi ukwamukela uhlujzo olungajulile lokuzitshintsha ukubukeka kwabesimame (cosmetic surgery) kuyindlela yodlame olungaqondile ngqo kanye nolukhipha inyumbazane abesimame. Ngokusebenzisa amathiyori epost-structuralist, awe-feminist kanye nawepsychoanalytical, ngihlaziya indlela le nhlobo yalolu dlame ecindezela ngayo imizimba yabesimame kanye nokuhlela indlela okumele bacabange nokuzibona ngayo. Ngokusebenzisa iphuzu likaJacques Lacan, Judith Buttle kanye noMichel Foucault lamandla okukhokhela ngokomoya, ngiqhaqha indlela okubumbeka ngayo isithombe sokuzibona, unembeza kanye nomoya wokuhlambulula ngokuzidalula (confession) lapho kubhekwa izinto ngaphansi kwesimo somzimba wokuhlinzwa okungajulile ukuzishintsha ukubukeka ngokwakho. Nangaphezu kwalokho, ngigqamisa indima ye-liberal feminism ngokwayo kule nhlobo yencindezelo. Ngokwenza lokho, ngikhombisa ngokwethiyori ukuqhubeka nokusebenza kwamandla esikhokhelo ngokomoya ngaphansi kwethekniki yokuzazi komuntu eyedwa okucindezela abesimame kwiminyaka elishumi yesibili, yesenshuri yamashumi amabili nanye . Ngiqhubela phambili iphuzu lokuthi ukwenziwa kohlinzo olungajulile lokuzishintsha ukubukeka kuqala umoya wokucindezela izwi labesimame, ukuxhashazwa kwabo, kanye nendlela umuntu azibona ngayo ngokwengqondo, kanye nokucindezela umzimba ophilayo ngezindlela ezingazibonakalisi obala, ezifihlekile, indlela yokubopha efihlwa yindlela yokubukeka kanye nokwembozwa umoya. Kungaphansi kwalesi simo lapho ngethula khona i-discourse yencindezelo eyenza ukuthi imboni yohlinzo olungajulile ukuzishintsha ukubukeka kwabesimame kube yinto ephakanyiswayo nokubonwa iyinhle, ukuphazamiseka kwama-norm endlela yengcindezi yabesilisa, ngaphansi kwama-discourse okuhlinzwa okungajulile ukushintsha ukubukeka, kanye nokwakha ithiyori ebandakanya ukubona izinto ngendlela ethize, engikuchaza njengezwi okuyilo elifanele le-feminism, kwisimo sosiko esiphila ngaphansi kwaso samanje - okuyindlela abantu abazibuka ngayo ezingqondweni ngendlela engekho obala. Ngigcizelela ukubuyela kwithiyori kaKristeva, kanye nokuthi abantu babhoke indlobana ngezindlela eziphansi, okuyinto ayiphakamisayo yenkambiso yokwazi okulungile nokungalunganga (ethical approach). Naphezu kwalokho, ngiveza izwi elibonisa ukubhoka indlobana kwabesimame ngendlela engekho sobala - izwi elifaka inselele kuma-norm okubhozomelwa ngumqondo wokulawula kwabesilisa, kanti futhi leli zwi aligcinanga nje kuphela umumo wabesimame ngendlela ejwayelekile njengowesimame wesenshuri yamashumi amabili-nanye ngokugcizelela kwimboni yohlinzo olungajulile lokuzishintsha ukubukeka, kanye nendlela lokhu okuyisihibe ngayo – ngokusho kukasonkondlo waseNingizimu Afrika, u-Antjie Krog. Imibhalo yezinkondlo zikaKrog ezinobungcweti yiyo eyenze ukwakha kwami kabusha ithiyori. Ngokusebenzisa ithiyori kaKristeva ye-semanalysis, ngibonisa ngokwethiyori ukuthi umsebenzi kaKrog uqambe okweqele ngaleya kwizihibe zomthetho kubaba kanye nezindlela zokwenza izinto zibukeke ngendlela evamile noma zingavamile. Nangaphezu kwalokho, ngifakela i-"originary attachment" njengokwenza ukuthi kube kwesinye isimo, iphuzu likaKristeva ku-chora kanti isiphakamiso sami se-"originary ideal" sifaka inselele kusigcizelelo sikaKristeva ngamagremu efonethiki ngaphansi kwesimo esigcizelela umfanekiso ngasohlangothini lobaba. Ngokusebenzisa ukuhlaziya kukaLouise Viljoen kumsebenzi kaKrog kanye nocwaningo lukaBridget Garnham ngokuvela kwama-discourse ohlinzo olungajulile ukuzishintsha ukubukeka njengesisekelo, ngase ngethula imibhalo yezinkondlo zikaKrog njenge-discourse yokuphikisa ama-discourse e-"moral" yama-discourse ohlinzo olungajulile lokuzishintsha ukubukeka, elixhaphaza abantu abagugayo ngeminyaka eyishumi yesibili kwisenshuri yamashumi amabili-nanye. Naphezu kwalokho, ngisebenzise ithiyori kaKristeva kumapharagramu kwimibhalo yezinkondlo zikaKrog, ngaphazamisa imibono yokuphatha kwabesilisa equkethwe kuma-discourse ohlinzo ulungajulile ukuzishintsha ukubukeka. Ukuqhubekela phambili, nginwebe ithiyori kaKristeva ngesimiso se-negativity ukwethula ukuhumusha kabusha umoya wokuzihlambulula ngokuzidalula otholakala kwizinkondlozikaKrog, ukuwukunweba amandla umbono kaFaucault wamandla okuthi abantu bazibone ngenye indlela kanye nephuzu likaButler wlkuthi into engavamile engaphandle ibonwe njengento efanele, kanye nokwamukela umzimba ogugayo kwinkondlo ye- Verweerskrif/Body Bereft (Krog 2006). / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil.(Theory of Literature)

A presente pesquisa consiste num estudo sobre o processo de constituição psíquica da criança em idade escolar a partir do conceito tempo de latência, buscando articulá-lo ao processo de escolarização da infância. Situa o conceito no conjunto da obra freudiana desde seus primeiros trabalhos sobre as neuroses e a sexualidade infantil, passa pelo período de formulação da teoria das pulsões, localiza-o no contexto da teoria estrutural e, igualmente, nas reflexões de Freud acerca das relações entre natureza e cultura. Em sucessão, verifica os desdobramentos que o conceito tem na obra de reconhecidos psicanalistas que se dedicaram à análise de crianças, como Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, Charles Sarnoff e Françoise Dolto, culminando com uma leitura do tempo de latência como um tempo lógico a partir do enfoque lacaniano. Enquanto tempo lógico infere que a latência não decorre de um processo natural, desencadeado pelo organismo, e sim pela demanda do Outro. Nesse sentido procura vinculá-lo às transformações culturais da modernidade, entre estas o processo de escolarização da infância. Sustenta que a escolarização favorece a constituição do tempo de latência, na medida em a escola se organiza como o espaço social destinado à criança, distanciando-a do ambiente familiar sem, no entanto, incluí-la no mundo adulto, ao mesmo tempo em que possibilita formas de sublimação. Entendendo o tempo de latência como uma produção do laço social, cogita que novas transformações na cultura podem extingui-lo enquanto tempo constitutivo. Aponta que fraturas na sustentação do trabalho psíquico deste tempo constitutivo aparecem em algumas formações clínicas, como a inibição intelectual e a fobia escolar. / The research consists of a study on the process of psychic constitution of the child in school age from the concept of latency time, searching the education process of infancy. It points out the concept in the set of the Freudian workmanship since the first works on the neuroses and the infantile sexuality, passes for the period of formularization of the drive theory, still locates it in the context of the structural theory and in the reflections of Freud about the relations between nature and culture. To leave of this, it verifies the unfoldings that the concept has in the workmanship of recognized psychoanalysts who had dedicated themselves to analyze of children as Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, Charles Sarnoff and Françoise Dolto, culminating with a reading of the latency time as a logical time from the lacanian approach. While logical time understands that the latency does not elapse of a natural process, unchained for the organism, and yes for the demand of the Other. In this direction it searches to tie it to the cultural transformations of modernity, between these the education process of infancy. It supports that the education favors the constitution of the latency time, in the measure where the school is organized as the social space destined to the child, distancing itself of the familiar environment without, in meanwhile include them in the adult world, at the same time where it makes possible subliming forms. Understanding the latency time as a production of the social bow, it cogitates that new transformations in the culture can extinguish it while constituent time. It points that breakings in the sustentation of the psychic work of the latency appear in some clinical formations as the intellectual inhibition and the pertaining to school phobia.

A presente pesquisa consiste num estudo sobre o processo de constituição psíquica da criança em idade escolar a partir do conceito tempo de latência, buscando articulá-lo ao processo de escolarização da infância. Situa o conceito no conjunto da obra freudiana desde seus primeiros trabalhos sobre as neuroses e a sexualidade infantil, passa pelo período de formulação da teoria das pulsões, localiza-o no contexto da teoria estrutural e, igualmente, nas reflexões de Freud acerca das relações entre natureza e cultura. Em sucessão, verifica os desdobramentos que o conceito tem na obra de reconhecidos psicanalistas que se dedicaram à análise de crianças, como Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, Charles Sarnoff e Françoise Dolto, culminando com uma leitura do tempo de latência como um tempo lógico a partir do enfoque lacaniano. Enquanto tempo lógico infere que a latência não decorre de um processo natural, desencadeado pelo organismo, e sim pela demanda do Outro. Nesse sentido procura vinculá-lo às transformações culturais da modernidade, entre estas o processo de escolarização da infância. Sustenta que a escolarização favorece a constituição do tempo de latência, na medida em a escola se organiza como o espaço social destinado à criança, distanciando-a do ambiente familiar sem, no entanto, incluí-la no mundo adulto, ao mesmo tempo em que possibilita formas de sublimação. Entendendo o tempo de latência como uma produção do laço social, cogita que novas transformações na cultura podem extingui-lo enquanto tempo constitutivo. Aponta que fraturas na sustentação do trabalho psíquico deste tempo constitutivo aparecem em algumas formações clínicas, como a inibição intelectual e a fobia escolar. / The research consists of a study on the process of psychic constitution of the child in school age from the concept of latency time, searching the education process of infancy. It points out the concept in the set of the Freudian workmanship since the first works on the neuroses and the infantile sexuality, passes for the period of formularization of the drive theory, still locates it in the context of the structural theory and in the reflections of Freud about the relations between nature and culture. To leave of this, it verifies the unfoldings that the concept has in the workmanship of recognized psychoanalysts who had dedicated themselves to analyze of children as Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, Charles Sarnoff and Françoise Dolto, culminating with a reading of the latency time as a logical time from the lacanian approach. While logical time understands that the latency does not elapse of a natural process, unchained for the organism, and yes for the demand of the Other. In this direction it searches to tie it to the cultural transformations of modernity, between these the education process of infancy. It supports that the education favors the constitution of the latency time, in the measure where the school is organized as the social space destined to the child, distancing itself of the familiar environment without, in meanwhile include them in the adult world, at the same time where it makes possible subliming forms. Understanding the latency time as a production of the social bow, it cogitates that new transformations in the culture can extinguish it while constituent time. It points that breakings in the sustentation of the psychic work of the latency appear in some clinical formations as the intellectual inhibition and the pertaining to school phobia.

A presente pesquisa consiste num estudo sobre o processo de constituição psíquica da criança em idade escolar a partir do conceito tempo de latência, buscando articulá-lo ao processo de escolarização da infância. Situa o conceito no conjunto da obra freudiana desde seus primeiros trabalhos sobre as neuroses e a sexualidade infantil, passa pelo período de formulação da teoria das pulsões, localiza-o no contexto da teoria estrutural e, igualmente, nas reflexões de Freud acerca das relações entre natureza e cultura. Em sucessão, verifica os desdobramentos que o conceito tem na obra de reconhecidos psicanalistas que se dedicaram à análise de crianças, como Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, Charles Sarnoff e Françoise Dolto, culminando com uma leitura do tempo de latência como um tempo lógico a partir do enfoque lacaniano. Enquanto tempo lógico infere que a latência não decorre de um processo natural, desencadeado pelo organismo, e sim pela demanda do Outro. Nesse sentido procura vinculá-lo às transformações culturais da modernidade, entre estas o processo de escolarização da infância. Sustenta que a escolarização favorece a constituição do tempo de latência, na medida em a escola se organiza como o espaço social destinado à criança, distanciando-a do ambiente familiar sem, no entanto, incluí-la no mundo adulto, ao mesmo tempo em que possibilita formas de sublimação. Entendendo o tempo de latência como uma produção do laço social, cogita que novas transformações na cultura podem extingui-lo enquanto tempo constitutivo. Aponta que fraturas na sustentação do trabalho psíquico deste tempo constitutivo aparecem em algumas formações clínicas, como a inibição intelectual e a fobia escolar. / The research consists of a study on the process of psychic constitution of the child in school age from the concept of latency time, searching the education process of infancy. It points out the concept in the set of the Freudian workmanship since the first works on the neuroses and the infantile sexuality, passes for the period of formularization of the drive theory, still locates it in the context of the structural theory and in the reflections of Freud about the relations between nature and culture. To leave of this, it verifies the unfoldings that the concept has in the workmanship of recognized psychoanalysts who had dedicated themselves to analyze of children as Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Donald Winnicott, Charles Sarnoff and Françoise Dolto, culminating with a reading of the latency time as a logical time from the lacanian approach. While logical time understands that the latency does not elapse of a natural process, unchained for the organism, and yes for the demand of the Other. In this direction it searches to tie it to the cultural transformations of modernity, between these the education process of infancy. It supports that the education favors the constitution of the latency time, in the measure where the school is organized as the social space destined to the child, distancing itself of the familiar environment without, in meanwhile include them in the adult world, at the same time where it makes possible subliming forms. Understanding the latency time as a production of the social bow, it cogitates that new transformations in the culture can extinguish it while constituent time. It points that breakings in the sustentation of the psychic work of the latency appear in some clinical formations as the intellectual inhibition and the pertaining to school phobia.