Envy, Competition and Gender

Book excerpt: Envy, Competition and Gender provides a unique perspective on gender difference in relation to envy and competitiveness, reframing and de-demonizing these difficult emotions and revealing their potentially creative power. Incorporating perspectives from psychology, psychiatry, social work, sociology and education, this book provides a comprehensive overview of theories and ideas on the links between gender, envy and competition. The book is divided into three sections, covering the individual and development, therapeutic implications and therapeutic applications in broader social and cultural contexts. Individual and group case stories are included throughout to illuminate discussion of crucial issues such as: men, masculinity, and competition gender differences in envying and being envied the evolution of the female self envy and generativity: owning our inner resources envy in body transference and countertransference envy and desire revenge and retaliation. This interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspective on envy and competition in relation to gender will be of great interest to all psychotherapists and related mental health professionals interested in investigating the positive potential of these powerful emotions.