SC314, Birk – Page 1 SC314:MentalIllnessandSociety
Fall2012
LaraBirk(birk@bc.edu)
Tues/Thurs12‐1:15,Carney003
OfficeHours:Thurs1:30‐3:30inChocolateBarorbyappointment
CourseDescription
Psychiatricdisordersarecommonlyviewedthroughapurelybiomedicaland/orapsychological
framework.Inthiscourse,wewillapplyasociologicalimaginationtothetopicandinterrogatethewaysin
whichmentalillness,oftenseenasasupremelyprivate“personaltrouble,”isalsoa“publicissue.”Wewill
readtheworksofbothclassicandcontemporaryscholars,butwewillalsousememoirsandfilmsto
sensitizeustotheexperienceofmentalillnessitself.Wewillexplorementalillnessasasocial
construction,stigma,labelingtheory,aswellasissuesofgender,race,class,andsexualityinmentalillness.
CourseObjectives
 Tounderstandmentalillnessthroughasociologicalimagination
 Tolistentothevoicesofthementallyillthemselvesandlearnaboutthementalillnessexperience
 Toimprovetheskillsincriticalthinking,reading,publicspeaking,andanalyticalwritingthatwill
helpyoutoexcelinandbeyondcollege
RequiredTexts
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SigmundFreud(1905),Dora
MaryaHornbacher(2008),Madness:ABipolarLife
DavidA.Karp(1996),SpeakingofSadness
DavidA.Karp&GretchenE.Sisson(2010),VoicesfromtheInside
LaurenSlater(1998),ProzacDiary
AdditionalReadingsinCourseReserves
Films
1. ABeautifulMind(2001)
2. Gaslight(1944)
3. OneFlewOvertheCuckoo’sNest(1975)
1 SC314, Birk – Page 2 Grading
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10%Attendance&Participation
10%Co‐Leadershipof1ClassDiscussion
15%FirstPaper(4‐5pages)dueOctober2
15%SecondPaper(4‐5pages)duethenextclasssessionafteryouleaddiscussion
10%AnnotatedBibliographyforTermPaper(10sources)dueNovember15
15%PresentationofFinalPaperbetweenNovember29–December6
25%FinalPaper(10‐12pages)dueDecember11
LateWork
Iwillallowextensions,butonlyunderextremecircumstances(significantillness,familyemergency,etc.).
Ifyouanticipatethatyouwillneedextratimetocompleteanassignment,pleaseseemerightaway(donot
emailmewithsuchrequests).Workthatismorethan5daysfromtheoriginalduedatewillreceiveanF.
Ifyouhavenotbeengrantedanofficialextension,youwillreceiveagradedeductionof10%foreveryday
yourworkislate.
ClassAttendance
Regularattendanceisnecessarytodowellinthiscourse.Iexpectyoutoattendandparticipatefullyin
everyclasssession.Ifyouanticipatemissingaclassforanyreason,youmustemailmeinadvancetonotify
meofthereasonforyourabsence.Ifthereisanillnessorfamilymattertowhichyouneedtoattend,you
musthavethedeansendmeanoticeaboutitifyouexpecttomissmorethanoneclasssession.Excessive
absenceswillbenotedandwillsignificantlyaffectyourgradeinthecourse.
**Pleasenote:Whenstudentsuseelectronics(laptops,Ipads,smartphones,etc.)intheclassroom,Ifind
thatittendstobeadistractiontoyouandyourclassmatesmoreoftenthanitisanenhancementtoyour
learning.Thisisadiscussion‐heavycourse,andyourfullattentionandparticipationarerequiredatall
times.Assuch,Iaskthatyoupleaserefrainfromusingsuchdevicesduringclass.
Participation
Asmentionedabove,thisisacoursecenteredonclassdiscussion,andthereforeIexpectyouto:
1)Dotheassignedreadingsbeforetheclassinwhichtheyaredue
2)Participateinclassdiscussionsonaregularbasis
Ifyouanticipatethiswillbeaproblemforyouduetoshynessoranyotherreason,pleaseseeme
immediately.Therearemanywaystocontributetotheintellectualdiscourseoftheclassinadditionto
regularparticipationinclassdiscussions(e.g.,writtenreflectionsonthereadingsand/orclassdiscussions,
Blackboard,preparedpresentations,etc.).
StudentswithDisabilities
Ifyouhaveadisabilityofanykindthatyoubelievewillimpactyourabilitytoperformacademically,you
mustberegisteredwiththeDisabilityServicesOfficeinMaloneyHallat21CampanellaWay.Pleasenotify
meatthebeginningofthesemesterifyouhaveadocumenteddisabilityandwhatsortofaccommodations
youwillneedinthiscourse.
2 SC314, Birk – Page 3 CampusResources
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ConnorsFamilyLearningCenter:O’NeillLibrary,617‐552‐0611
LearningResourcesforStudent‐Athletes:YawkeyAthleticCenter,617‐552‐8533
HealthServices:119CushingHall,617‐552‐3225orEmergency(24hours)617‐552‐3227
CounselingServices:108GassonHall,617‐552‐3310
DisabilityServicesOffice:MaloneyHall,Suite212,617‐552‐3470
Women’sResourceCenter:213McElroy,617‐552‐3489
SexualAssaultNetwork:617‐552‐BC11
BCPoliceDepartment:Emergency617‐552‐4444,Non‐Emergency617‐552‐3475
AcademicIntegrity
InthisandallBostonCollegecourses,youareexpectedtopresentonlyyourownworkandideasasyour
own.Ifyouborrowthewordsorideasofanyoneelse,whetheranonlinesource,anotedscholarinthe
field,oraclassmate,youmustaccuratelycite(andwherenecessaryquote)thatindividual’scontributions.
Engagingincheatingorplagiarismofanysortisaseriousbreachofthehonorcodeimplicitintheeveryday
operationsofuniversitylifeandamajorviolationofBostonCollege’sacademicintegritypolicies.IfIfind
youhavebeenintellectuallydishonest,youwillbereportedtothedeanandpenalizedaccordingly.Fora
fullstatementofBC’spoliciesonacademicintegrity,pleasesee
http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/integrity.html.
Assignments
PrequeltotheCourse
Tuesday,September4–Introduction
Thursday,September6–Psychiatry:OfTwoMinds
 T.M.Luhrmann(2000),“WheretheSplitCameFrom”(Ch.5inOfTwoMinds,p.203‐238)
 ElynR.Saks(2010),“TheCenterCannotHold”(Ch.4inVoicesfromtheInside,p.43‐54)
Tuesday,September11–Psychological&BiomedicalApproachestoMentalIllness
 ChristopherPeterson(2010),“PsychologicalApproachestoMentalIllness”(Ch.5inHandbookof
theStudyofMentalHealth,p.89‐105)
 SchwartzandCorcoran(2010),“BiologicalTheoriesofPsychiatricDisorders:ASociological
Approach”(Ch.4inHandbookofStudyofMentalHealth,p.64‐88)
UnderstandingMentalIllnessthroughaSociologicalImagination
Thursday,September13–ViewingMentalIllnessthroughaSociologicalImagination
 C.WrightMills(1959),“ThePromise”(p.1‐6)
 EmileDurkheim(1897/1979),“TheSocialElementofSuicide(Book3Ch.1inSuicide,p.297‐325)
 CarlaFine(2010),“NoTimetoSayGoodbye”(Ch.13inVoices,p.153‐164)
3 SC314, Birk – Page 4 Tuesday,September18–OverviewofSociologicalApproachestoMentalIllness
 AllanHorwitz(2010),“AnOverviewofSociologicalPerspectivesontheDefinitions,Causes,and
ResponsestoMentalHealthandIllness”(Ch.1inHandbookfortheStudyofMentalHealth,p.6‐19)
 PeggyThoits(2010),“SociologicalApproachestoMentalIllness”(Ch.6inHandbookfortheStudyof
MentalHealth,p.106‐124)
Thursday,September20–DeconstructingtheDiagnosis
 RickMayesandAllanHorwitz(2005),“DSM‐IIIandtheRevolutionintheClassificationofMental
Illness”(p.249‐267)
 PeterConrad(2005),“TheShiftingEnginesofMedicalization”(p.3‐14)
 ArthurKleinman(1988),“WhatisaPsychiatricDiagnosis”(Ch.1inRethinkingPsychiatry,p.5‐17)
 KayRedfieldJamison(2010),“FlightsofMind”(Ch.2inVoices,p.24‐32)
Tuesday,September25–“Antipsychiatry”:CritiquesofPsychiatricDiagnosis
 ThomasSzasz(1960),“TheMythofMentalIllness”(p.113‐117)
 D.L.Rosenhan(1973),“OnBeingSaneinInsanePlaces”(p.250‐258)
 ThomasScheff(1966/1999),“TheSocialInstitutionofInsanity”(Ch.5inBeingMentallyIll,p.69‐
97)
 MarkVonnegut(2010),“TheEdenExpress”(Ch.3inVoices,p.33‐42)
Thursday,September27–TheStigmaofMentalIllness
 ErvingGoffman(1963),“StigmaandSocialIdentity”(Ch.1excerptinStigma,p.1‐14)
 BruceLinkandJoPhelan(2001),“ConceptualizingStigma”(p.363‐385)
 CarolOwen;SharonO’Brien(2010),“PartVI:TheStigmaofMentalIllness”(Voices,p.165‐192)
Tuesday,October2–Institutionalization
 WATCHFILMBEFORECLASS:OneFlewOvertheCuckoo’sNest(1975)
 ErvingGoffman(1958/1997),“TheMortifiedSelf”(p.55‐63)
 KateMillett;LoriSchiller(2010),“PartIII:Hospitalization”(Voicesp.95‐120)
 DEADLINE:FIRSTPAPER(4‐5pages)
Hysteria:AGenderedCaseStudy
Thursday,October4–Freud’sCaseStudyofHysteria
 SigmundFreud(1905),Dora,p.1‐112(SKIM)
Tuesday,October9–DeconstructingHysteria
 CharlottePerkinsGilman(1892),“TheYellowWallpaper”
 ElaineShowalter(1997),“TheHystericalHotZone”(p.3‐13)and“DefiningHysteria”(p.14‐29)
(Ch.1and2inHystories)
Thursday,October11–TheMakingofaMadWoman
 WATCHFILMBEFORECLASS:Gaslight(1944)
 D.C.Jack(1991),“LossofVoice”(Ch.2excerptinSilencingtheSelf,p.29‐37)
4 SC314, Birk – Page 5 Class,Race,andSexualityinMentalIllness
Tuesday,October16–SocialClassandMentalIllness
 SarahRosenfield(2012),“TripleJeopardy:MentalHealthattheIntersectionofGender,Race,and
Class”(p.1791‐1801)
 WilliamEaton,CarlesMuntaner,andJaimeSapag(2010),“SocioeconomicStratificationandMental
Disorder”(Ch.12inHandbookfortheStudyofMentalHealth,p.226‐255)
Thursday,October18–Race,Racism,andMentalIllness
 P.B.JacksonandS.Mustillo(2001),“IAmWoman:TheImpactofSocialIdentitiesonAfrican‐
AmericanWomen’sMentalHealth”(p.33‐59)
 JanisSanchez‐Hucles(1998),“Racism:EmotionalAbusivenessandPsychologicalTraumaforEthnic
Minorities”(p.69‐87)
 ThemaBryant‐DavisandCarlotaOcampo(2005),“TheTraumaofRacism”(p.574‐578)
Tuesday,October23–Sexuality,Homophobia,andMentalIllness
 RichardFriedmanandJenniferDowney(1998),“PsychoanalysisandtheModelofHomosexualityas
Psychopathology:AHistoricalOverview”(p.249‐270)
 GregoryHerek(2004),“Beyond‘Homophobia’:ThinkingAboutSexualPrejudiceandStigmainthe
21stCentury”(p.6‐24)
QualitativeResearchontheExperienceofMentalIllness
Thursday,October25–SymbolicInteractionistApproachtoMentalIllness
 DavidKarp(1996),SpeakingofSadness,Ch.1,2,and3(p.1‐77)
 DEADLINE:FINALPAPERTOPIC
Tuesday,October30–SymbolicInteractionistApproachtoMentalIllness,cont’d
 DavidKarp(1996),SpeakingofSadness,Ch.7(p.165‐188)
 SueEstroff(1991),“Everybody’sGotaLittleMentalIllness”(p.331‐369)
Thursday,November1–TheResearcherandtheResearched
 SueEstroff(1995),“WhoseStoryisitAnyway?”(p.77‐104)
 ArthurFrank(1997),“WhenBodiesNeedVoices”(Ch.1inWoundedStoryteller,p.1‐26)
TheMentalIllnessExperience:VoicesoftheMentallyIll
Tuesday,November6–OnBipolarDisorder
 MEMOIR:MaryaHornbacher(2008),Madness:ABipolarLife
Thursday,November8–OnDepression
 DavidA.Karp(2010),“AnUnwelcomeCareer”(Ch.1inVoices,p.16‐23)
 MarthaManning(2002),“TheLegacy”(inUnholyGhost,p.256‐269)
 WilliamStyron(2002),“FromDarknessVisible”(inUnholyGhost,p.114‐125)
 LaurenSlater(2002),“Noontime,”(inUnholyGhost,p.75‐104)
5 SC314, Birk – Page 6 Tuesday,November13–OnSchizophrenia
 WATCHFILMBEFORECLASS:ABeautifulMind(2001)
Thursday,November15–OnTakingMedication
 DavidA.Karp,“DoxepinDiary”(p.1‐8)and“SearchingforAuthenticity”(p.95‐126)(Prologueand
Ch.4inIsItMeorMyMeds)
 LaurenSlater;DavidA.Karp(2010),“PartIV:TheMeaningsofMedication”(Voices,p.121‐148)
 DEADLINE:ANNOTATEDBIBLIOGRAPHYforFINALPAPER(10sources)
Tuesday,November20–OnRecovery
 MEMOIR:LaurenSlater(1998),ProzacDiary
Thursday,November22–NoClass(ThanksgivingHolidays)
Tuesday,November27–ListeningtoCaregivers
 DavidA.Karp(2001),“BearingResponsibility”(Ch.2inBurdenofSympathy,p.35‐70)
 CleaSimon(2010),“EverythingFallsApart”(Ch.7inVoices,p.77‐84)
 RECOMMENDED:COMPLETEYOURFIRSTDRAFToftheTERMPAPERbyTODAY
Thursday,November29–StudentPresentationsofFinalPapers
 NoReadings
Tuesday,December4–StudentPresentationsofFinalPapers
 NoReadings
Thursday,December6–StudentPresentationsofFinalPapers
 NoReadings
Tuesday,December11–DEADLINEforFINALPAPER(10‐12pages)
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