This course presents a critical, sociological overview of the history of the professional response to mental illness. It also covers recent and contemporary developments in the mental health professions, including current theories and therapies. We examine the historical development of the mental health professions, including psychiatry and psychology, and we look at the changing biological and psychological theories and therapies developed by these professions to diagnosis and treat people. The course reviews the social and contextual factors that help account for the rise and fall of the various theories and practices of the mental health professionals. Toward that end, we take a sociological perspective and examine how and why the theories and practices of the mental health professionals serve one or another interest and how and why they may have been utilized as instruments of social control (i.e. in terms of race, class and gender).

Required Texts

Goffman, Asylums

Showalter, Elaine. The Female Malady

Szasz, Thomas. The Myth of Mental Illness

Valenstein, Elliot. Blaming the Brain

Reader for the course - This is required and available for purchase at the campus bookstore. (These readings are also On Reserve in the library)

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C. WRIGHT MILLS AWARD APPLICATION 07-08