Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorFoster, Donen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSwartz, Leslieen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-20T15:38:44Z
dc.date.available2015-12-20T15:38:44Z
dc.date.issued1989en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: pages 351-389.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractA review of the South African psychiatric literature reveals that the concept of culture is commonly reified. It is also used by the South African state to legitimate apartheid. The concept of cultural relativism, though often associated with liberal views internationally, is linked with state policies in South Africa. Some South African social scientists, therefore, strongly question the notion of relativism. This reaction unfortunately does not engage with the social reality of the widespread perception of cultural differences, in psychiatric settings and elsewhere. Issues of race and culture in psychiatric practice were explored in a psychiatry department of a liberal South African university. Observation of ward-rounds in a psychiatric casualty (emergency) facility over six months revealed that, as elsewhere in the world, a major cultural factor influencing clinicians is the relationship between psychiatry and general medicine. A cultural understanding of South African psychiatry must take account of this relationship. Ward-rounds in a facility treating Black psychiatric patients were observed over fifteen months. Black and white clinicians in these rounds were often in conflict over constructions of the concept of culture. Some appeared deeply ambivalent about cultural relativism. Psychiatric registrars (residents) attached to the department under study participated in loosely structured interviews exploring issues of race and culture in their work. They also responded to vignettes dealing with white, coloured and Black patients. Registrars felt uncomfortable about the role of the concept of cultural difference in affecting the welfare of Black patients, and in maintaining discrimination. Their own socialisation as practitioners in an individualising and medicalising discipline seems a major factor contributing to their ongoing reproduction of this discrimination. The study reveals the importance of exploring the views and experiences of practitioners. South African work focussing on the need for fundamental change in mental health care has generally glossed over details of extant practice. This dissertation shows, however, that a major site for mobilisation for change in South African mental health-care must be the psychiatric institution itself.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationSwartz, L. (1989). <i>Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15869en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSwartz, Leslie. <i>"Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15869en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSwartz, L. 1989. Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Swartz, Leslie AB - A review of the South African psychiatric literature reveals that the concept of culture is commonly reified. It is also used by the South African state to legitimate apartheid. The concept of cultural relativism, though often associated with liberal views internationally, is linked with state policies in South Africa. Some South African social scientists, therefore, strongly question the notion of relativism. This reaction unfortunately does not engage with the social reality of the widespread perception of cultural differences, in psychiatric settings and elsewhere. Issues of race and culture in psychiatric practice were explored in a psychiatry department of a liberal South African university. Observation of ward-rounds in a psychiatric casualty (emergency) facility over six months revealed that, as elsewhere in the world, a major cultural factor influencing clinicians is the relationship between psychiatry and general medicine. A cultural understanding of South African psychiatry must take account of this relationship. Ward-rounds in a facility treating Black psychiatric patients were observed over fifteen months. Black and white clinicians in these rounds were often in conflict over constructions of the concept of culture. Some appeared deeply ambivalent about cultural relativism. Psychiatric registrars (residents) attached to the department under study participated in loosely structured interviews exploring issues of race and culture in their work. They also responded to vignettes dealing with white, coloured and Black patients. Registrars felt uncomfortable about the role of the concept of cultural difference in affecting the welfare of Black patients, and in maintaining discrimination. Their own socialisation as practitioners in an individualising and medicalising discipline seems a major factor contributing to their ongoing reproduction of this discrimination. The study reveals the importance of exploring the views and experiences of practitioners. South African work focussing on the need for fundamental change in mental health care has generally glossed over details of extant practice. This dissertation shows, however, that a major site for mobilisation for change in South African mental health-care must be the psychiatric institution itself. DA - 1989 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1989 T1 - Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry TI - Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15869 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/15869
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSwartz L. Aspects of culture in South African psychiatry. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 1989 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15869en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherPsychiatry - Social aspects - South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.otherCultureen_ZA
dc.subject.otherPsychiatry, Transcultural - South Africaen_ZA
dc.titleAspects of culture in South African psychiatryen_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hum_1989_swartz_leslie.pdf
Size:
7.63 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
PhD / Doctoral