Madness in International Relations: Psychology, Security, and the Global Governance of Mental Health (Interventions)

Madness in International Relations provides an important and innovative account of the role of psychology and psychiatry in global politics, showing how mental health governance has become a means of securing various populations, often with questionable effects. Through the analysis of three key case studies Howell illustrates how such therapeutic interventions can at times be coercive and sovereign, at other times disciplinary, and at still other times benevolent, though not benign. In each case a ‘diagnostic competition’ is traced, that is, a contestation over how best to diagnose and treat the population in question. The book examines the populations of Guantánamo Bay, post-conflict societies and western militaries, identifying how these diagnostic competitions ultimately rest on shared assumptions about the value of psychology and psychiatry in managing global security, about the value of achieving security through mental health governance, and ultimately about the medicalization of security. This work will be of great interest to all scholars of International relations, critical theory and security studies. Cover ......Page 1 Madness in International Relations Psychology, security, and the global governance of mental health ......Page 6 Copyright ......Page 7 Contents......Page 10 Preface and acknowledgements ......Page 12 1. Madness in International Relations: An introduction ......Page 16 The psy disciplines in IR......Page 18 Studying madness in IR: Notes on method......Page 28 Chapter outline: Putting it into order......Page 33 2. Security, order, control: From anti-politics to ethico-politics ......Page 38 Genealogies of security: The politics of effects......Page 39 The politics of ordering practices......Page 45 Madness, trauma, and IR......Page 50 From political psychology to the politics of psy......Page 52 Approaching madness......Page 54 Psychiatry and empire......Page 65 Sovereignty, discipline, governance......Page 68 Approaching the psy disciplines in IR......Page 73 4. Victims or madmen? Suicide and the diagnostic competition over detainees at Guantánamo Bay......Page 79 The military diagnosis: The detainees as madmen......Page 81 The humanitarian diagnosis: Psychologically impaired victims......Page 90 The sovereign uses of the psy disciplines in IR......Page 98 5. The diagnostic competition over post-confl ict populations: Merging the psychosocial and mental health models ......Page 103 The psychologization of the security-development nexus......Page 105 The diagnostic competition: Psychosocial versus mental health paradigms......Page 115 The politics of PTSD......Page 119 The politics of psy interventions in post-confl ict situations......Page 122 6. Ordering soldiers: Contesting therapeutic practices in the Canadian military ......Page 128 The diagnostic competition over soldiers’ psyches......Page 130 Governing the minds of Canadian soldiers......Page 137 From disorder to injury: Soldiers as deserving of care......Page 148 Medicalizing trauma and the politics of PTSD in the Canadian forces......Page 151 7. Conclusion: The global politics of governing mental health ......Page 158 Sovereignty, discipline, governance, and psy in IR......Page 159 Psy interventions: Assessing effects......Page 161 ‘Give it to me’: Psy and intelligibility in global politics......Page 165 The medicalization and psychologization of security......Page 166 Security and order: Against the will to closure......Page 167 Notes......Page 170 Bibliography......Page 174 Index......Page 194 Cover 1 Madness in International Relations Psychology, security, and the global governance of mental health 6 Copyright 7 Contents 10 Preface and acknowledgements 12 1. Madness in International Relations: An introduction 16 The psy disciplines in IR 18 Studying madness in IR: Notes on method 28 Chapter outline: Putting it into order 33 2. Security, order, control: From anti-politics to ethico-politics 38 Genealogies of security: The politics of effects 39 The politics of ordering practices 45 Madness, trauma, and IR 50 3. Approaching madness: The psy disciplines in critical perspective 52 From political psychology to the politics of psy 52 Approaching madness 54 Psychiatry and empire 65 Sovereignty, discipline, governance 68 Approaching the psy disciplines in IR 73 4. Victims or madmen? Suicide and the diagnostic competition over detainees at Guantánamo Bay 79 The military diagnosis: The detainees as madmen 81 The humanitarian diagnosis: Psychologically impaired victims 90 The sovereign uses of the psy disciplines in IR 98 5. The diagnostic competition over post-confl ict populations: Merging the psychosocial and mental health models 103 The psychologization of the security-development nexus 105 The diagnostic competition: Psychosocial versus mental health paradigms 115 The politics of PTSD 119 The politics of psy interventions in post-confl ict situations 122 6. Ordering soldiers: Contesting therapeutic practices in the Canadian military 128 The diagnostic competition over soldiers’ psyches 130 Governing the minds of Canadian soldiers 137 From disorder to injury: Soldiers as deserving of care 148 Medicalizing trauma and the politics of PTSD in the Canadian forces 151 7. Conclusion: The global politics of governing mental health 158 Sovereignty, discipline, governance, and psy in IR 159 Psy interventions: Assessing effects 161 ‘Give it to me’: Psy and intelligibility in global politics 165 The medicalization and psychologization of security 166 Security and order: Against the will to closure 167 Notes 170 Bibliography 174 Index 194 Madness In International Relations Provides An Important And Innovative Account Of The Role Of Psychology And Psychiatry In Global Politics, Showing How Mental Health Governance Has Become A Means Of Securing Various Populations, Often With Questionable Effects.through The Analysis Of Three Key Case Studies Howell Illustrates How Such Therapeutic Interventions Can At Times Be Coercive And Sovereign, At Other Times Disciplinary, And At Still Other Times Benevolent, Though Not Benign. In Each Case A Diagnostic Competition Is Traced, That Is, A Contestation Over How Best To Diagnose And Treat The Population In Question. The Book Examines The Populations Of Guantanamo Bay, Post-conflict Societies And Western Militaries, Identifying How These Diagnostic Competitions Ultimately Rest On Shared Assumptions About The Value Of Psychology And Psychiatry In Managing Global Security, About The Value Of Achieving Security Through Mental Health Governance, And Ultimately About The Medicalization Of Security.this Work Will Be Of Great Interest To All Scholars Of International Relations, Critical Theory And Security Studies--provided By Publisher. Madness In International Relations: An Introduction -- Security, Order, Control: From Anti-politics To Ethico-politics -- Approaching Madness: The Psy Disciplines In Critical Perspective -- Victims Or Madmen?: Suicide And The Diagnostic Competition Over Detainees At Guantánamo Bay -- The Diagnostic Competition Over Post-conflict Populations: Merging The Psychosocial And Mental Health Models -- Ordering Soldiers: Contesting Therapeutic Practices In The Canadian Military -- Conclusion: The Global Politics Of Governing Mental Health. Alison Howell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Madness in International Relations provides an important and innovative account of the role of psychology and psychiatry in global politics, showing how mental health governance has become a means of securing various populations, often with questionable effects. Through the analysis of three key case studies Howell illustrates how such therapeutic interventions can at times be coercive and sovereign, at other times disciplinary, and at still other times benevolent, though not benign. In each case a diagnostic competition is traced, that is, a contestation over how best to diagnose and treat the population in question. The book examines the populations of Guantanamo Bay, post-conflict societies and western militaries, identifying how these diagnostic competitions ultimately rest on shared assumptions about the value of psychology and psychiatry in managing global security, about the value of achieving security through mental health governance, and ultimately about the medicalization of security. This work will be of great interest to all scholars of International relations, critical theory and security studies"--Provided by publisher