"Madness in Experience and History brings together experience and history to show their impact on madness or mental illness. Drawing on the writings of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Michel Foucault, Dr. Venable pairs a phenomenological approach with an archaeological approach to present a new perspective on mental illness as an experience that arises out of common behavioral patterns and shared historical structures. The book argues that we must integrate human experiences of mental disorders with the history of madness in order to have a full account of mental health and to make possible a more holistic care. The validity of this relationship is confirmed by performing an analysis on the connections between historical and current descriptions of madness. Scholars in the humanities and mental health practitioners will appreciate such an analysis, which brings to light not just a greater understanding of mental health but points us to the value found in diverse human experiences"--
BF503 
