Various group dynamics and socio-analytic issues related to membership in psychoanalytic organizations and their functioning are discussed. In particular, the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry (AAPDP) is mentioned, and some reference is made to the Organizzazione degli Psicoanalisti Italiani - Federazione e Registro (OPIFER) ["Organization of Italian Psychoanalysts - Federation and Roster] and to the International Federation of Psychoanalytic Societies (IFPS). The functioning of psychoanalytic journals is also discussed, especially regarding the delicate balance between scientific standards and political pressures coming from various needs and components of the associations. Political issues in different countries may negatively interfere with the quality of a journal, and it is argued that at times this may be the case for The International Journal of Psychoanalysis. Some relevant anecdotes are also described.
Keywords: Membership, psychoanalytic organizations, professional identity, psychoanalytic journals, group dynamics