Global knowledge flows and the psychiatric encounterin Indonesia
Brief about:
Journal Article (2024)
Written by:
.jpeg)
Other researchers:
The research examines the clinical encounters of people diagnosed with a severe mental illness (SMI) in Indonesia
Drawing on more than 1-year of ethnographic research and interviews in Indonesia, the project showed that instances of moral self-reflection occurring in the process of acquiring and appropriating clinical insight emerged at the intersection of heterogeneous discursive regimes. When biomedical notions of health and illness dominated these discourses, they reimagined pre-existing notions about spirituality and religion.
Key findings
- Consenting to psychiatric notions of health and illness can create common ground and a sense of shared experience, leading to grassroots movements for the empowerment of the mentally ill, self-help groups, and other support structures. At the same time, these processes can increase uncertainty and be generative of a culture of blame, as individuals are caught in overlapping and at times contradictory moral systems that each have the potential to strip patients of their moral status.Evidence
This project build on more than 1-year of ethnographic research and interviews in Indonesia.
What it meansInstances of moral self-reflection occurring in the process of acquiring and appropriating clinical insight emerge at the intersection of heterogeneous discursive regimes
Proposed action
- The purpose of this project was not to provide recommendations
Future research may determine the extent of the global knowledge flows we described in this project, past and outside the psychiatric encounter (e.g. with persons who do not need clinical attention).
Additional research would be required
Comments
You must log in to ask a question
Are you a researcher looking to make a real-world impact? Join Acume and transform your research into a practical summary.
Already have an account? Log in
Discover more
Global knowledge flows and the psychiatric encounterin Indonesia
Cite this brief: Cristea, Florin. 'Global knowledge flows and the psychiatric encounterin Indonesia'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/global-knowledge-flows-and-the-psychiatric-encounterin-indonesia/
Brief created by: Florin Cristea | Year brief made: 2025
Original research:
- Putu, A., Cristea, F., & Herdiyanto, Y., ‘Global knowledge flows and the psychiatric encounterin Indonesia’ Medical Anthropology Quarterly 39 (2) (pp. Epub 2024) https://doi.org/10.1111/maq.12906. – https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/maq.12906
Research brief:
The research examines the clinical encounters of people diagnosed with a severe mental illness (SMI) in Indonesia
Drawing on more than 1-year of ethnographic research and interviews in Indonesia, the project showed that instances of moral self-reflection occurring in the process of acquiring and appropriating clinical insight emerged at the intersection of heterogeneous discursive regimes. When biomedical notions of health and illness dominated these discourses, they reimagined pre-existing notions about spirituality and religion.
Findings:
Consenting to psychiatric notions of health and illness can create common ground and a sense of shared experience, leading to grassroots movements for the empowerment of the mentally ill, self-help groups, and other support structures. At the same time, these processes can increase uncertainty and be generative of a culture of blame, as individuals are caught in overlapping and at times contradictory moral systems that each have the potential to strip patients of their moral status.
This project build on more than 1-year of ethnographic research and interviews in Indonesia.
Instances of moral self-reflection occurring in the process of acquiring and appropriating clinical insight emerge at the intersection of heterogeneous discursive regimes
Advice:
The purpose of this project was not to provide recommendations
- Additional research would be required