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pc953's review against another edition
3.0
Though a fascinating premise I wish this was viewed more from the lens of an industry expert than a journalist. Their are arguments and examples that though strongly worded seem shallow in their actual contents. I think a lot can be gleamed from this book, I just wish it was done in a crisper way
mxunsmiley's review against another edition
5.0
Very thought-provoking and revelatory to be honest. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Western concepts of mental illness aren't universal but to read specific cases from different countries made the idea hit a lot harder. It makes me rethink how I view my schizophrenia and has brought on a renewed interest in studying its causes and what it means to be schizophrenic.
ekarpinski's review against another edition
3.0
Almost feels like half a book -- Watters gets partway through and kind of peters out, and it feels like he never quite made up his mind on where he stood on the American psychiatry establishment.
lindsirae's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best nonfiction books I’ve read in a while!
magzanilla's review against another edition
reflective
3.0
It had some enlightening examples of western psychiatry assuming mental health would be the same worldwide and imposing their analysis+assumptions onto other cultures of what is "right" + "possible" + "healthy thus good", and the dire consequences of that (like psychiatry being used for modern colonialism). Especially, of the 1980s to early 2000s.
And it can be a good introduction into the topic of psychiatric criticism through the perspective of cultural sociology and psych. Especially, for confronting biases in the western bio-medical psychiatric model and its modern successors. As often, nuanced acknowledgements of past and present psychiatry-as-a-tool-of-control is lacking in mainstream discussions.
However, the author's model of cultural mental illness theories and social-pool-of-symptoms, while worth considering - especially as a jumping off point in the Mad Sciences; can be misused very easily to dismiss identities and mental health experiences, despite the "intent" being the exact opposite. As well as failing to acknowledge other aspects in cultural pressure beyond whats obvious to him.
Ethan Watters as an author and psychiatrist, later on has shown to have regressive ideas on different topics.
Such as with Dissociative disorders and abuse victims. Partly due to the cultural phenomenons of The Recovered Memory Movement after the Satanic Panic. But going to another extreme in response to "mass hysteria" as he calls it, is a failure of an analysis.
And this context beyond this particular book itself, alongside the book failing to go deeper on its analysis - heavily docks our impression of it when it comes to the logical conclusion of these models and beliefs if not considered critically.
And it can be a good introduction into the topic of psychiatric criticism through the perspective of cultural sociology and psych. Especially, for confronting biases in the western bio-medical psychiatric model and its modern successors. As often, nuanced acknowledgements of past and present psychiatry-as-a-tool-of-control is lacking in mainstream discussions.
However, the author's model of cultural mental illness theories and social-pool-of-symptoms, while worth considering - especially as a jumping off point in the Mad Sciences; can be misused very easily to dismiss identities and mental health experiences, despite the "intent" being the exact opposite. As well as failing to acknowledge other aspects in cultural pressure beyond whats obvious to him.
Ethan Watters as an author and psychiatrist, later on has shown to have regressive ideas on different topics.
Such as with Dissociative disorders and abuse victims. Partly due to the cultural phenomenons of The Recovered Memory Movement after the Satanic Panic. But going to another extreme in response to "mass hysteria" as he calls it, is a failure of an analysis.
And this context beyond this particular book itself, alongside the book failing to go deeper on its analysis - heavily docks our impression of it when it comes to the logical conclusion of these models and beliefs if not considered critically.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Physical abuse
Minor: Suicide
elibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Very interesting look at the need for diversifying our understanding of psychology!