Reconstructing schizophrenia

For close to a century, researchers have studied schizophrenia, yet the field has advanced little in explaining how the condition shapes behaviour. Even the core characteristics of the disorder remain unsettled. Richard P. Bentall takes this contested concept apart through scientific, historical and sociological analysis. He asks why biological abnormalities are presumed to exist when firm evidence for them is lacking, and considers how psychological methods might relieve symptoms. The book then turns to the kinds of models and research approaches that could better account for schizophrenic behaviour. Throughout, Bentall challenges current psychiatric theory and argues that a purely medical framework cannot adequately explain madness.