Social Prejudice

Abstract

For much of the twentieth century there existed a general amorphous quality in the concept of schizophrenia. At various times, and in various places, this amorphous nature readily allowed schizophrenia conceptualisation to work in ways that seem antithetical to science. In various ways, schizophrenia conceptualisation permeated, and could be permeated by numerous cultural beliefs, values, imperatives, and attitudes that now disturb us. For to further their descriptions of madness, many in psychiatry and related professions, readily adopted society’s prejudices as ancillary symptoms or signs. And over time a slow accretion of miscreants took place within the literature.