Overview

Schizophrenia was 20th century psychiatry's arch concept of madness. Yet for most of that century it was both problematic and contentious. This history explores schizophrenia's historic instability via themes such as symptoms, definition, classification and anti-psychiatry. In doing so, it opens up new ways of understanding 20th century madness.

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9781349552269

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McNally's overall goal-to analyze critically all attempts to define and delineate schizophrenia-is admirable. His attention to detail and his ability to reflect deeply on primary sources are clear strengths of his work. A Critical History of Schizophrenia will no doubt encourage greater awareness of the variability, inconsistency, and unpredictability of the concept of schizophrenia over time. This is a very important task, to which this book contributes a great deal. (Bonnie Evans, ISIS, Vol. 108 (4), 2017) I have been gleefully reading Kieran McNally's book on the history of schizophrenia, which turns out to be a compendium of great detail and fascination. ... It makes the book enormously valuable both as a treasure trove (in addition to an almost 30 page long reference section, there is a further 10 pages of recommended reading) and as a contribution to our understanding of this unwieldy but influential idea. (Psychodiagnosticator, psychodiagnosticator.blogspot.de, December, 2016) This is a text that should be prescribed reading for all entering the mental health professions. It acts as a helpful antidote to the ahistorical certainty of many textbooks and many training courses. (Padraig Collins, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 61 (4), 2016)

“McNally’s overall goal—to analyze critically all attempts to define and delineate schizophrenia—is admirable. His attention to detail and his ability to reflect deeply on primary sources are clear strengths of his work. A Critical History of Schizophrenia will no doubt encourage greater awareness of the variability, inconsistency, and unpredictability of the concept of schizophrenia over time. This is a very important task, to which this book contributes a great deal.” (Bonnie Evans, ISIS, Vol. 108 (4), 2017) “I have been gleefully reading Kieran McNally's book on the history of schizophrenia, which turns out to be a compendium of great detail and fascination. … It makes the book enormously valuable both as a treasure trove (in addition to an almost 30 page long reference section, there is a further 10 pages of recommended reading) and as a contribution to our understanding of this unwieldy but influential idea.” (Psychodiagnosticator, psychodiagnosticator.blogspot.de, December, 2016) “This is a text that should be prescribed reading for all entering the mental health professions. It acts as a helpful antidote to the ahistorical certainty of many textbooks and many training courses.” (Pádraig Collins, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 61 (4), 2016) 

Author Information

Kieran McNally previously studied and worked at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK. He is currently Adjunct Lecturer in Psychology at University College Dublin, Ireland, specializing in the history of psychiatry. He is also the author of the ecological and social history, The Island Imagined by the Sea.

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