Description :

Thus the valuable array of contributions to the edited volume the culture of mental illness and psychiatric practice in africa cannot be understated psyccritiques the culture of mental illness and psychiatric practice in africa addresses a much neglected field of study and does so in a broad and interdisciplinary fashion. Mental illness is a phenomenon in all societies the predominance of preliterate societies in subsaharan africa before the nineteenth century meant fewer written records on medical systems that could enable us to study mental illness in precolonial africa and the efficacy of traditional african therapeutic systems. In many african countries mental health issues including the burden of serious mental illness and trauma have not been adequately addressed these essays shed light on the treatment of common and chronic mental disorders including mental illness and treatment in the current climate of economic a. Anthropologists will find the culture of mental illness and psychiatric practice in africa to be a consistent case for the integration of psychological medical and sociocultural perspectives. The culture of mental illness and psychiatric practice in africa addresses a much neglected field of study and does so in a broad and interdisciplinary fashion african studies review