This work is an attempt to examine the nature of psychohistorical writing after 1958 and to assess the impact of this new discipline in historiography. The year 1958 was chosen as the date of beginning of scholarly psychohistory for two reasons: in that year the highly respected historian, William Langer, in a presidential address to the American Historical Association, called upon his colleagues to use psychoanalysis in their research; and Erik Erikcon published Young Man Luther: A Study in Psychoanalysis and History, which has been accepted ever since as the finest example of psychohistorical writing.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Stockholm, 1985. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references (p. 233-248).

Honors Project--Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 96-104).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz 2003. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 422-434).

Thesis (Ph. D. in Religion)--Vanderbilt University, May 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

From Integrative Summary: There has been a growing interest in successful entrepreneurs. Research on entrepreneurship has focused on the identification of personality variables that would assist in the prediction of entrepreneurial success. The present study moves away from attempting to predict entrepreneurial success and instead focuses on exploring and describing the personality of a successful entrepreneur. A psychobiographical case study was adopted by the researcher to explore and describe the extent to which Steve Jobs demonstrated the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007). A personality trait approach to entrepreneurship was adopted in the study. The study also attempted to explore the socio-cultural and economic context within which Jobs practised his entrepreneurial activities. Jobs was a successful entrepreneur who co-founded Apple and founded NeXT and Pixar, which were all companies that transformed various technological industries. His entrepreneurial orientation allowed him to produce innovative products that transformed society in various sectors which included personal computing, mobile phones, music, retail stores and films (Isaacson, 2011). A qualitative approach was adopted in the study. The data collection and analysis was guided by the three linked sub-processes proposed by Miles and Huberman (2002) which involved data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings of this study showed that Jobs demonstrated, at varying levels, all the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007) which included a need of achievement, risk-taking, innovativeness, autonomy, locus of control and self-efficacy. The researcher however noted that the desire for autonomy, risk-taking, innovativeness and self-efficacy were the most dominant characteristics driving his entrepreneurial orientation. The research thesis adopted the structure of a teaching case which can be used to explore and discuss the personality trait perspective to entrepreneurship in a classroom setting. The findings of the study can be recognised as positively contributing to the growing field of psychobiographical research on exceptional individuals, including entrepreneurs. The study can be considered as a foundation for future studies which will add to the body of knowledge relating to entrepreneurship and personality.

Helen Martins devoted approximately the last thirty years of her life to converting her family home into a unique fantasy world which she named the Owl House. Since her death in 1976 the Owl House has become a national monument and museum in South Africa. Throughout her life Helen was considered by most of the surrounding villagers to have been strange, and she withdrew increasingly from society. However, she appeared to have contained a desire for human connection. There are several instances in which she expressed this desire, such as through the numerous letters which she wrote to fellow artists. The existing body of literature on Helen illustrates the complex nature of her personality; however the question of which personality style she best typifies has remained unanswered. In order to answer this question a psychobiography was conducted on Helen. Psychobiographies entail a biographical representation of a person's life history to which a psychological theory is applied. The psychological theory utilised within the current study was Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial- Learning Theory. Thus, the chief objective of this study was to describe and interpret Helen's personality style through the use of Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial-Learning Theory. Alexander's model of data extraction and Miles and Huberman's three step approach were implemented in order to reduce, organise and analyse the data. The findings of this study reflected that Helen deteriorated from one of Millon's (1969/1996) proposed personality styles to another as she aged. The current findings may illuminate Helen's motives for obsessively devoting her life to the creation of her fantasy world.

C.G. Jung et ses proches collaborateurs ont souligné l’importance de l’imago maternelle aussi bien pour les individus que pour les groupes et les sociétés. Si cette thématique n’a guère été développée dans l’œuvre de Freud, cela n’est pas la cas pour les psychanalystes freudiens des générations suivantes, citons à cet égard Mélanie Klein ou D.W. Winnicott par exemple. Il revient tout particulièrement aux travaux des psychanalystes français Didier Anzieu et René Kaës d’avoir tenté d’articuler l’individuel et le collectif dans leurs travaux sur les groupes, et d’avoir confirmé l’équivalence du groupe et du complexe ou de l’imago maternels.1 Dans cette thèse j’ai souhaité examiner et évaluer l’importance de cette représentation maternelle dans la vie politique française tout au long de ce qui constitue une période fondatrice pour la vie politique française contemporaine, de la Révolution à la Première guerre mondiale. J’ai choisi de procéder à cette étude à partir des métaphores et allégories maternelles que l’on trouve dans les discours publics, ceux-ci incluant aussi bien les discours politiques proprement dits que les discours prononcés lors de distribution de prix à l’école, par exemple. Je ne procède pas, ou très peu, à des interprétations psychanalytiques, sauf lorsque cela me semble évident. Le cadre de référence actualisé de ma thèse est constitué par la recherche historique, mais la psychanalyse en représente « le cadre fantôme ou complémentaire», pour reprendre l’heureuse expression de René Kaës. A la suite de cette recherche, force est de constater l’emploi généralisé des métaphores et allégories maternelles dans la plupart des discours publics de cette période, sous des formes multiples : citons par exemple la Nature pendant la Révolution, la Jérusalem céleste puis la Vierge Marie dans le camp conservateur et d’autres représentations créés par les premiers socialistes, dont la Communauté (Etienne Cabet), ou bien encore la France maternelle et messianique de Michelet, la patrie des Républicains, la religion de l’Humanité du positivisme,celle de la Terre et des Morts de Barrès, etc.. La métaphore et l’allégorie maternelle constituent alors la promesse d’un idéal et/ou la demande de soumission. Ces figures maternelles ont des enfants, et dans les discours publics principalement des fils. Cette thèse constate l’importance de la relation privilégiée entre la mère et ses fils au niveau politique. Le « premier » de ces fils se pose le plus souvent en tant que porte-parole ou interprète de la métaphore à laquelle il se réfère : Robespierre, Napoléon Ier et Gambetta en sont quelques exemples. Dans le contexte imaginaire et idéologique induit par ces métaphores et allégories maternelles, l’individu et la femme en tant que tels, n’existent guère, la relation entre la Mère et son Fils constitue le principal modèle d’identification proposé. / C.G. Jung and his followers have emphazised the importance of the maternal imago forindivuals, groups and societies. This topic was barely developped by Freud, which is not thecase for Freudian analysts of the following generations ; one might cite for example MelanieKlein or D.W. Winnicott. Didier Anzieu and René Kaës, both French psychoanalysts, havemade an attempt to articulate the individual and the collective in their studies about groups andhave confirmed the equivalence of the group and the maternal imago. In this doctoral thesis, Ihave attempted to examine and assess the importance of this maternal representation in Frenchpolitical life during this formative period for French politics which lasts from the Revolution toWWI. I have chosen to study this issue through maternal metaphors and allegories in publicdiscourses, which include political speeches and other discourses, like award speeches at school,for example. I do not give psychoanalytical interpretation, unless it seems obvious. Thereference framework of this thesis is historical research, but psychoanalysis is itscomplementary or shadow framework. The results of the research show that maternalmetaphors and allegories were widely used in most public speeches of that time, in manydifferent forms. Nature (during the Revolution), heavenly Jerusalem or Virgin Mary in theconservative camp, and other maternal representations which were created by the early socialists– among which the “Community” (Etienne Cabet) – as well as Michelet’s maternal andmessianic France. The Republicans’ father - or rather motherland, the religion of Humanity asseen by Auguste Comte and the positivists, the religion of the Earth and the Dead (MauriceBarrès) are some examples... Maternal metaphors and allegories constitute a promise ofhappiness, an ideal and/or a submission request. These mother figures have children, mainlysons. This doctoral thesis confirms the importance of the privileged relationship between motherand son on the political level. Very often the “first” of these sons establishes himself as thespokesman or the interpreter of this metaphor or allegory. Robespierre, Napoléon, the first emperor of France, or Gambetta are some examples. In the ideological or fictional contextwhich these metaphors and allegories induce, there is hardly any room for the individual or forthe woman as such, the relationship between Mother and Son is the main identification modelwhich is proposed.