Administrations of Lunacy: Racism and the Haunting of American Psychiatry at the Milledgeville Asylum
$8.58
Description
Book Synopsis: A scathing and original look at the racist origins of psychiatry, through the story of the largest mental institution in the world. Today, 90 percent of psychiatric beds are located in jails and prisons across the United States, institutions that confine disproportionate numbers of African Americans. After more than a decade of research, the celebrated scholar and activist Mab Segrest locates the deep historical roots of this startling fact, turning her sights on a long-forgotten cauldron of racial ideology: the state mental asylum system in which psychiatry was born and whose influences extend into our troubled present.
In December 1841, the Georgia State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum was founded. A hundred years later, it had become the largest insane asylum in the world with over ten thousand patients. Administrations of Lunacy tells the story of this iconic and infamous southern institution, a history that was all but erased from popular memory and within the psychiatric profession.
Through riveting accounts of historical characters, Segrest reveals how modern psychiatric practice was forged in the traumas of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow. Deftly connecting this history to the modern era, Segrest then shows how a single asylum helped set the stage for the eugenics theories of the twentieth century and the persistent racial ideologies of our own times. She also traces the connections to today's dissident psychiatric practices that offer sanity and create justice.
A landmark of scholarship, Administrations of Lunacy restores a vital thread between past and present, revealing the tangled racial roots of psychiatry in America.
Details
Discover the shocking and untold history of American psychiatry with "Administrations of Lunacy: Racism and the Haunting of American Psychiatry at the Milledgeville Asylum." Uncover the deep-rooted racism that shaped the psychiatric system in the United States, and learn how these troubling origins still impact society today. With over a decade of research, renowned scholar and activist Mab Segrest exposes the truth behind the racial injustices that persist within our mental health institutions.
Did you know that 90 percent of psychiatric beds in the United States are located in jails and prisons? This alarming statistic disproportionately affects African Americans, and "Administrations of Lunacy" reveals the origins of this disturbing reality. Dive into the forgotten history of the Georgia State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum, once the largest insane asylum in the world with over ten thousand patients. Segrest's compelling storytelling brings to life the struggles and experiences of those confined within its walls.
This groundbreaking book connects the dots between the atrocities of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, illustrating how these historical traumas influenced the development of modern psychiatric practices. Gain a deeper understanding of the racial ideologies that have persisted throughout American history and continue to shape our society today. Through meticulous research and captivating storytelling, Segrest sheds light on the eugenics theories of the twentieth century and their disturbing connections to contemporary psychiatric practices.
Don't miss out on this landmark work of scholarship that unravels the tangled racial roots of psychiatry in America. "Administrations of Lunacy" will challenge your perceptions and offer crucial insights into the ongoing struggle for justice and sanity within our mental health system. Take the first step towards understanding and driving change by exploring this eye-opening book today.
Click here to order "Administrations of Lunacy: Racism and the Haunting of American Psychiatry at the Milledgeville Asylum" and embark on a transformative journey through the dark corners of American history.
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