Reimagining Psychiatric Epidemiology in a Global Frame: Toward a Social and Conceptual History

Psychiatric epidemiology has evolved conceptually and socially, influencing the biopolitics of nations and global health campaigns. This is the first volume of historical scholarship addressing the discipline, tracing its development and mobilization to further social ends. Chapters depict an uneven global development of epidemiologies formed within distinct political-cultural regions but influenced by transnational circulation and selective uptake of concepts, techniques, and expertise.

Format: Hardback
Length: 340 pages
Publication date: 03 June 2022
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Psychiatric epidemiology, a field that has evolved significantly over time, has played a crucial role in understanding and addressing mental health issues globally. This comprehensive examination of psychiatric epidemiology's unique development, both conceptually and socially, within and between diverse regions and cultures, highlights its growing influence on the biopolitics of nations and worldwide health campaigns.

Unlike epidemiology of cancer, heart disease, or AIDS, psychiatric epidemiology has emerged as a vital discipline in recent years, contributing to shaping the biopolitics of nations and global health efforts. Despite its significance, there has been a lack of historical scholarship specifically focused on psychiatric epidemiology. This book seeks to fill that gap by comprehensively tracing the evolution of the discipline and the mobilization of its constructs, methods, and tools to further social ends.

Through a dual lens of conceptual and social analysis, this book envisions the history of psychiatric epidemiology. It explores how the field has evolved, drawing on various approaches and perspectives. While some historical paths have led to a uniform disciplinary field based on a common paradigm, as seen in the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and cancer, psychiatric epidemiology has taken a diverse route. It has been driven by different intellectual questions, political strategies, reformist ideals, national cultures, colonial experiences, international influences, and social control objectives.

When examined together, the chapters in this book depict an uneven global development of epidemiologies formed within distinct political-cultural regions but influenced by the transnational circulation and selective uptake of concepts, techniques, and expertise. These moved through multidirectional pathways between and within the Global North and South. Authored by historians, anthropologists, and psychiatrists, the chapters trace this complex history, focusing on Brazil, Nigeria, Senegal, India, Taiwan, and Japan.

By examining the development of psychiatric epidemiology in these countries, the book sheds light on the diverse ways in which mental health issues have been understood, treated, and controlled. It highlights the historical factors that have shaped the field, including the influence of colonialism, globalization, and the rise of psychiatric institutions. It also explores the contributions of individuals and organizations, such as psychiatrists, activists, and policymakers, in advocating for mental health rights and promoting social change.

In conclusion, psychiatric epidemiology has emerged as a crucial field that contributes to shaping the biopolitics of nations and global health campaigns. This book provides a comprehensive historical account of the discipline's development, highlighting its diverse approaches and influences. By examining the history of psychiatric epidemiology in different regions and cultures, it sheds light on the complex ways in which mental health issues have been understood, treated, and controlled. This knowledge is essential for developing effective strategies to address mental health challenges and promote well-being worldwide.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781648250392