SOC 420 - Sociology of Mental Illness 3 Credits

Prerequisite: None
Psychology and psychiatry identify the causes of sadness, madness, anxiety and trouble, AKA “mental illness,” as originating within the “mind” or, increasingly, the brain. The sociology of mental illness, by contrast, focuses on processes in the social and cultural context, and how the very concepts of mental illness, abnormal or crazy are constructed in the first place, then applied by both “mental health” professionals and persons in their everyday lives. In one way or another, social structure, relationships and culture are significant factors in the genesis of “mental illness”. We will examine major social models of “mental illness,” aiming to understand and evaluate their basic concepts and assumptions, as well as the response to “mental illness,” including how family, friends, troubled persons and professionals interpret, define and respond to “mental illness” and the processes shaping the policies and practices of the mental health enterprise.