Dr. Barrena’s theoretical work center’s around the question of the ontological dimension of the phenomenon of rape. She uses a psychoanalytic frame, specifically Lacan’s development of the registers of the Symbolic, the Real and the Imaginary, to investigate the status of the phenomenon. The work aims to answer questions such as, ‘why is rape so traumatic?’, ‘who perpetrates rape?’, and ultimately, ‘what is rape?’.
While this is the starting point, Dr. Barrena’s work goes beyond to develop the wider theoretical implications of this position.
She is currently working on the book version of her dissertation.
Upcoming publications will be announced here.