The book explains influence and application of psychological theory of subjectivity development and emotional maturation formulated by the britisch psychologist and pediatrician Donald Winnicott on political theories. The conviction that it is impossible to separate political and psychological or psychoanalytic theorie manifests in winnicotian studies in two ways. First way is to use Winnicot's works as an support or inspiration within particular political or social theories to answer their own question. Or, the second way, one may attempt to think with Winnicott and unfold consequences of his thought within the social and political domain.
This book follows both strategies. In the first chapter, it gradually unfolds Winnicott's thoughts until it reaches reflections on specific socio-political phenomena such as democracy, political space, cultural experience, or life of institutions. In this respect, it also refers to the works of M. H. Bowker, A. Buzby, J. Elkinse, M. A. Diamond, J. LeJeune, and D. W. McIvor.
In the second chapter it explains how the prominent thinker of critical social theory, Axel Honneth, uses Winnicot's psychology in his theory. The last chapter deals with the contemporary liberal theoretician Martha Nussbaum who considers Winnicott to be the key figure which allows to formulate a political psychology that corresponds with a liberal political regime.