Anthropology and the Abnormal

E90372

Anthropology and the Abnormal is a seminal anthropological essay that examines how different cultures define and interpret normality and abnormality in human behavior.

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Statements (43)

Predicate Object
instanceOf academic article
anthropological essay
essay
addresses how societies sanction deviant behavior
the role of cultural values in labeling behavior
variation in social norms across societies
aimsTo challenge ethnocentric views of abnormal behavior
show variability of concepts of normality
argues definitions of abnormality are culturally constructed
definitions of normality are culturally constructed
audience anthropologists
psychiatrists
psychologists
sociologists
contributesTo cross-cultural psychiatry
medical anthropology
psychological anthropology
theory of cultural relativism
critiques universalist assumptions about mental disorder
describedAs classic essay on culture and deviance
seminal work in anthropology of mental health
discusses cultural norms
deviance
mental disorder as a social construct
social control
emphasizes importance of cultural context in judging behavior
relativity of psychiatric categories
examines how different cultures interpret deviant behavior
relationship between culture and concepts of mental illness
field anthropology
focusesOn cultural definitions of abnormal behavior
cultural definitions of normal behavior
genre scholarly essay
influenced debates on universality of mental illness
later work on culture-bound syndromes
language English
mainTheme abnormality
cross-cultural variation in behavior
cultural relativism
normality
usedIn anthropology courses
courses on psychological anthropology
medical anthropology courses

Referenced by (1)

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Ruth Benedict authorOf Anthropology and the Abnormal