Reporting Mental Illness in China (Routledge/Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) East Asian Series)

This book examines how Chinese-language newspapers across greater China report on severe mental illness, and why they do so in the ways they do, given that reporting in local newspapers can strongly influence how Chinese readers view the illness. By assessing how the reporting in three leading broadsheet newspapers from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan constructs the illness, the book considers how the distinct social and political histories of the three culturally Chinese communities shape the reporting, and whether it bears out or contests the intense stigma against the illness that prevails locally. The findings can usefully encourage and inform attempts to humanise, include, and empower those with a severe mental illness across greater China and the global Chinese diaspora. Employing a well-tested, transparent discourse analytic approach, the book also includes numerous Chinese-English bilingual news report extracts to illustrate its claims. As such, Reporting Mental Illness in China will be of interest to sinologists, discourse analysts, mental health professionals and public health authorities across the globe, especially in places where there are large Chinese-speaking populations. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of contents Figures Acknowledgements 1 Introduction Chinese discourse studies on mental illness News media reporting of mental illness in the West News media reporting of mental illness in greater China A discourse analytic approach Analysis of Chinese-language print media reports on severe mental illness Summary of chapters Note References 2 Comparative settings, newspapers, reports, and themes Approaches to and management of severe mental illness in greater China over the ages Severe mental illness in present-day greater China The Chinese-language newspapers The news reports Comparative themes Chapter summary Note References 3 Severe mental illness as crime and social wrongdoing Forensic psychiatric crime in present-day greater China Crime reports Suicide in present-day greater China Suicide reports Severe mental illness as crime and social wrongdoing Notes References 4 Life stories of severe mental illness The voice of the lifeworld Celebrity reports Reports on everyday personal experience Life stories of severe mental illness Note References 5 The establishment and severe mental illness Psychiatric amenities in present-day greater China Medical reports Politics and the press in greater China Political reports The establishment and severe mental illness References 6 Conclusion Reporting mental illness in China The social transgressor The triumphant man and fruitless woman The patient The (unspeakably) monstrous schizophrenic The infallible state Nascent tensions and contradictions Chinese versus Western news reporting on severe mental illness Towards a more compassionate, inclusive, humane, and empowering construction of severe mental illness in newspaper ... Conclusion References Appendix Index "This book examines how Chinese-language newspapers across greater China report on severe mental illness, and why they do so in the ways they do, even that reporting in local newspapers can strongly influence how Chinese readers view the illness. By assessing how the reporting in three leading broadsheet newspapers from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan constructs the illness, the book considers how the distinct social and political histories of the three culturally Chinese communities shape the reporting, and whether it bears out or contests the intense stigma against the illness that prevails locally. The findings can usefully encourage and inform attempts to humanise, include, and empower those with a severe mental illness across greater China and the global Chinese diaspora. Employing a well-tested, transparent discourse analytic approach, the book also includes numerous Chinese-English bilingual news report extracts to illustrate its claims. As such, Report Mental Illness in China will be of interest to Sinologists, discourse analysts, mental health professionals and public health authorities across the globe, especially in places where there are large Chinese-speaking populations"-- Provided by publisher