s at the centre of what it is to be human. Its premise is that the human being is essentially social and that our need for others is primary. Object Relations originated as the British-based development of classic Freudian theory. Its early proponents were Melanie Klein, Ronald Fairbairn, Donald Winnicott, Michael Balint, Harry Guntrip and John Bowlby. In this critical introduction to the subject, Lavinia Gomez presents the work of the main theorists chronologically, enabling the reader to gain a sense of how Object Relations develops and the ways in which the theorists build on, diverge from and oppose each other's ideas. An understanding of concepts emerges gradually as similar phenomena are examined though the eyes of each theorist. A brief biography brings to life the persons behind the theory, contributing to a deeper understanding and critical appreciation of their ideas. The second part of the book addresses the application of Object Relations