Raising Hell: Translation, Religious Transformation and the Infantile Sexual

In this talk, Ann Pellegrini revisits some of their earlier work on the missionary theatre of Hell Houses to explore the psychic dimensions of religious transformation/conversion. They do so utilizing resources provided by Laplanche and Saketopoulou.

Ann Pellegrini is Professor and Chair of Performance Studies at New York University, and a psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City. Their most recent book is Gender Without Identity (Unconscious in Translation, 2023; Paradiso Editores, Spanish edition, 2025), coauthored with Avgi Saketopoulou. Pellegrini and Saketopoulou are co-recipients of the Diversity Award (from Division 39 of the American Psychological Association) and of the first Tiresias Paper Award (from the International Psychoanalytic Association). Pellegrini is founding coeditor of the “Sexual Cultures” series at NYU Press, as well as a founding member of the Psychoanalytic Hub for Online Liberatory Education (aka P-HOLE).

Space is limited for Lunchtime Talks.

Register by October 10 to access readings and reserve a seat and a box lunch.