Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness

In his book "Nobodys Normal", anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker explores the history of mental-illness stigma and how it has been shaped by cultural factors. He argues that stigma is a social process that can be overcome and that we are at the cusp of ending the marginalization of the mentally ill. Grinker's book combines personal history with cutting-edge science and cross-cultural research to shed light on the origins and variations of our cultural response to neurodiversity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 10 May 2022
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

For centuries, scientists and society have cast moral judgments on individuals deemed mentally ill, leading to the confinement of many in asylums. In his book, "Nobodys Normal," anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker chronicles the progress and setbacks in the struggle against mental-illness stigma, spanning from the eighteenth century to the high-tech economy of today.

Nobodys Normal argues that stigma is a social process rooted in cultural history, which began the moment mental illness was defined. It is shaped by our communities and can be unlearned. While the legacies of shame and secrecy persist, Grinker believes that we are on the brink of ending the marginalization of the mentally ill. In the twenty-first century, mental illnesses are increasingly recognized and celebrated as part of human diversity.

Grinker weaves his personal family history into the book, including his grandfather's analysis with Sigmund Freud, his daughter's experience with autism, and his research on neurodiversity. Drawing on cutting-edge science, historical archives, and cross-cultural research in Africa and Asia, Grinker takes readers on an international journey to uncover the origins and variations in our cultural response to neurodiversity.

"Nobodys Normal" is an urgent, eye-opening, and ultimately hopeful book that provides insights into how we are transforming mental illness and offers a roadmap to end the shadow of stigma. It sheds light on the historical and cultural factors that have contributed to the stigmatization of mental illness and challenges us to embrace diversity and inclusivity in our understanding and treatment of mental health.

Weight: 343g
Dimension: 211 x 140 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324020134