PhD Courses in Denmark

‘The sublime object of psychiatry’, ‘our most troubling madness’ – schizophrenia has long been described as one of the most bewildering mental illnesses. From the moment it was defined as a psychiatric diagnosis at the beginning of the twentieth century, schizophrenia (or initially: dementia praecox) caused controversy, debates and doubts – about its origins and medical etiology, its course and outcome, its most appropriate therapy, even the coherence of the diagnostic category itself. On the other hand, the suffering of those diagnosed with schizophrenia is not in doubt.

This course approaches debates and conundrums about schizophrenia primarily from a humanities point of view: it engages with the history of the diagnosis and of psychiatric takes on it, and looks at schizophrenia as it relates to broader socio-political, intellectual and cultural contexts. The course explores how the psychiatric and medical meaning of schizophrenia changed over time and in relation to developments within and outside psychiatry, and how they led to present-day calls to disband the diagnosis altogether. Moreover, schizophrenia became an important point of discussion beyond medical circles: in psychoanalysis as well as in anti-psychiatry and cultural theory, the concept of schizophrenia also played a vital role – as a core point of critique of different aspects of modern Western society, and as a foundation for political discussions around the nature of capitalism and left-wing politics. The course engages with this fascinating variety of reading and imagining schizophrenia: as a unique insight into the human condition, an expression of the core psychological aspects of modernity, or a rational response to unliveable situations. It also explores different conceptualisations of the relationship between schizophrenia and art, or artistic talent.

But beyond psychiatric, psychoanalytic and cultural discussions of schizophrenia as a diagnosis or as a political metaphor, the course also aims to put forward the voices and experiences of those who were diagnosed with schizophrenia. We will read and engage with first-person illness narratives, and will also explore how patients (or psychiatric survivors) have addressed the conundrum of schizophrenia, its definition and treatment.

Academic Aim:
- Become familiar with the most important debates about schizophrenia in medical humanities literature (including history, anthropology, literary studies)
- Understand the most important developments in the history of schizophrenia
- Broaden their understanding of the role and importance of patients’ perspectives and narratives in psychiatry

Target group: 
All students, particularly those in medical humanities, psy disciplines and medical sciences 

Course organizer: Ana Antic, Professor, Centre for Culture and the Mind, University of Copenhagen.

Dates and time: 10 - 13 September 2024 from 9:00 to 16:00.

Programme:

Day 1
9-12 Schizophrenia: History of the diagnosis
12-13 Lunch
13-16 Experiencing schizophrenia: voices and first-person accounts

Day 2
9-12 Schizophrenia, politics and society: Race, gender and political ideology in the study of schizophrenia – discussion with Professor Jonathan Metzl, Vanderbilt University
12-13 Lunch
13-16 Schizophrenia, modernity and art

Day 3
9-12 Schizophrenia, cultural theory and anti-psychiatry – discussion with Professor Angela Wood, University of Durham
12-13 Lunch
13-16 Schizophrenia and interdisciplinarity: Medical model and humanities approaches to schizophrenia – how to develop a dialogue?

Day 4
Student papers: Roundtable and peer feedback
For students working in the field of medical humanities: research project proposal
For students working outside medical humanities: how can you include medical humanities perspectives in your PhD research, reflection paper
Concluding discussion

Language: English

ECTS: 3 ECTS for participation with presentation.

Max. numbers of participants: 20

Deadline for submitting paper: via email to phd@hrsc.ku.dk no later than 21 August 2024.

Registration: Please register via the link in the box no later than 7 August 2024.

Further information: For more information about the PhD course, please contact the PhD Administration (phd@hrsc.ku.dk).

Literature:
Orna Ophir, Schizophrenia: An unfinished history
Angela Woods, The sublime object of psychiatry
Jonathan Metzl, Protest psychosis: How schizophrenia became a black disease
Tanya Lurhmann, ed., Our most troubling madness: Case studies in schizophrenia across cultures
Joanne Greenberg, I never promised you a rose garden
Kevin Alan Lee, Split Mind: Schizophrenia from an insider’s point of view
Mary Ellen Wood, Life writing and schizophrenia
Esme Weijun Wang, The collected schizophrenias