First published in 1988, Location and Stigma offers a comprehensive exploration of an increasingly significant area of socio-medical studies. At the time, mental illness and disability were recognized as major health challenges, particularly as developed countries had made substantial strides in combating the severe and often fatal diseases of pre-industrial and industrial eras. While medical resources were largely focused on chronic and degenerative diseases, awareness was growing about the immense economic costs and profound personal impact of mental illness and related disorders, which affected far more individuals than those formally registered under care.
The book examines the overall mental health of populations as shaped by the interplay of four key factors: individual influences, environmental conditions, the structure of service delivery systems, and the broader social, economic, and political context. Recognizing the interconnectedness of these factors, the book is divided into four parts. Part I situates the treatment of mental illness within its historical, political, and geographical-cultural context. Part II investigates the causes of mental illness, emphasizing social, environmental, and economic contributors. Part III reviews contemporary policies in the UK and USA, while Part IV assesses the state of mental health and policy at the time and considers future directions.
This volume was a significant contribution to the field, providing meaningful perspectives for social scientists studying mental health and mental illness.
Table of Contents:
Introduction Part 1: The history and politics of mental health care: a comparative perspective 1. The Anglo-American asylum in historical perspective 2. Mental health care in Europe: some recent trends 3. Mental health services, the restructuring of care, and the fiscal crisis of the state: the United Kingdom case study 4. Recent Trends in the political economy of mental health Part 2: Some clues about etiology: the social and environmental context of mental illness 5. Coping in the community: a review of factors influencing the lives of deinstitutionalized ex-psychiatric patients 6. The spatial ecology of mental illness 7. The economy as stressor 8. Psychological distress, and the wellbeing of workers in distressed communities Part 3: The provision and impact of community care 9. Locating mental health facilities: a case study 10. “Is there one round here?” – investigating reaction to small-scale mental health hostel provision in Portsmouth, England 11. Community reactions to deinstitutionalization Part 4: Stigma and rejection in the community: the continuing search for a home for the mentally ill 12. No place like home: reflections on sheltering a diverse population 13. To backwards? – prospects for reinstitutionalization of the mentally disabled 14. Homelessness and mental illness in America: emerging issues in the construction of a social problem
About the Author :
Christopher J. Smith
John A. Giggs
Review :
Reviews of the first publication:
‘Readers who are not familiar with political, social and economic theory will find this a demanding but nevertheless rewarding collection…it does gather together a body of writing that is pertinent to the role of psychiatry…’
— Traolach S. Brugha, University of Leicester, UK
‘…there is much that is of interest and the volume makes a useful addition to work in the field.’
— Joan Busfield, University of Essex, UK
‘It fills an important niche in a growing literature and is recommended based upon the strength of several individual contributions…’
— G. Brent Hall, University of Waterloo, Canada
