The Political Economy of Social Psychiatry

Is social psychiatry at a tipping point, acknowledging that many normal types of behavior are being over-medicalized? What notions of enchantment can we glean from Max Weber's social thought as they relate to our modern, rational, bureaucratic world? Giedraitis explores these issues using the German economist and sociologist Max Weber's theories of rationalization and disenchantment, and connects them to the dangers of bureaucratizing mental health. Giedraitis conducts an innovative study using psychotherapists as respondents to measure varying degrees of «rational» thought in their clients, thereby indirectly measuring Weberian rational thought as related to certain types of depression. This book is recommended to those who would like an introduction to Weberian notions of rationality and disenchantment, or general Weberian socio-economic theory. This book is also suggested to those seeking to understand a possible connection between Weberian rationalization, disenchantment, bureaucratization and mental health.

Autorentext
Giedraitis, Vincentas Vincentas R. Giedraitis is an assistant professor in the Department of Theoretical Economics at Vilnius University in Lithuania. He was awarded a Fulbright grant in 2003 and received his Ph.D. in 2006 from the University of California, Riverside. He is the author of the book, The New Cold War in the Post-Socialist Era.