Approaching Hysteria: Disease and Its Interpretations
By Mark S. MicaleFew diseases have exercised the Western imagination as chronically as hysteria - from the wandering womb of ancient Greek medicine, to the demonically possessed witch of the Renaissance; from the vaporous salon women of Enlightenment Paris, through to the celebrated patients of Sigmund Freud, with their extravagant, erotically charged symptoms. In this book, the author surveys the range of past and present readings of hysteria by intellectual historians; historians of science and medicine; scholars in gender studies, art history, and literature; and psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and neurologists. In so doing, he explores numerous questions raised by this ever-growing body of literature: why, in recent years, has the history of hysterical disorders carried such resonance for commentators in the sciences and humanities? What can we learn from the textual traditions of hysteria about writing the history of disease in general? What is the broader cultural meaning of the new hysteria studies? In the second half of the book, Micale discusses the many historical cultures of hysteria. He reconstructs the past usages of the hysteria concept as a powerful, descriptive trope in various non-medical domains, including poetry, fiction, theatre, social thought, political criticism, and the arts. His book is an attempt to write the historical phenomenology of disease in an age preoccupied with health, and a prescriptive remedy for writing histories of disease in the future.
Book details
- Hardcover
- 344 pages
- English
- 0691037175
- 9780691037172
About Mark S. Micale
mark s. micale was Read More about Mark S. Micale
More Books By Mark S. Micale
People who bought this also bought
Chicken Soup for the Father & Daughter Soul: Stories to Celebrate the Love Between Dads and Daughters Through the Years
Used Book
Retire in Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada
Used Book
An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography book by Paul Rusesabagina
New Book
The Triple Agent: The al-Qaeda Mole who Infiltrated the CIA book by Joby Warrick
New Book
The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations book by Oprah Winfrey
New Book
The Sweet Science: Boxing and Boxiana - A Ringside View book by A.J. Liebling
New Book
Along the Trenches: A Journey through Eastern Europe to Isfahan book by Navid Kermani
New Book
HBR's 10 Must Reads 2018: The Definitive Management Ideas of the Year from Harvard Business Review (with bonus article
New Book
Pace Picante Sauce: 40th Anniversary Recipe Collection; a Treasury of Tex-mex Cooking
Used Book
This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America book by Morgan Jerkins
New Book
Disneyland's Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Disneyland Resort's Best-Kept Secrets
Used Book
China's Gilded Age: The Paradox of Economic Boom and Vast Corruption book by Yuen Yuen Ang
New Book
Breaking the Watch: The Meanings of Retirement in America
Used Book
An Oral History of the Palestinian Nakba book by Nahla Abdo
New Book
Sweetie: From the Gutter to the Runway Tantalizing Tips from a Furry Fashionista
Used Book
Killing for Profit: Exposing the Illegal Rhino Horn Trade book by Julian Rademeyer
New Book
Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga book by Pamela Newkirk
New Book
The Power of Charm: How to Win Anyone Over in Any Situation book by Brian Tracy
New Book
The Ten-Day MBA : A Step-By-Step Guide To Mastering The Skills Taught In America's Top Business Schools book by Steven Silbiger
New Book
All God's Creatures 2022: Daily Devotions for Animal Lovers book by Guideposts
Marketing As Strategy: Understanding the CEO's Agenda for Driving Growth and Innovation book by Nirmalya Kumar
New Book
The Forever Dog: A New Science Blueprint for Raising Healthy and Happy Canine Companions book by Rodney Habib
New Book
Risk: the Science and Politics of Fear book by Daniel Gardner
New Book
Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire book by Caroline Elkins
New Book
Student Politics in America: A Historical Analysis
Used Book
Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power book by Steve Coll
New Book
Live Life in Crescendo: Your Most Important Work is Always Ahead of You book by Stephen R. Covey
New Book
Behave :The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky
New Book
Ultimate Fitness: The Quest for Truth about Health and Exercise
Used Book