Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewHorwitz draws together an impressive array of work to produce a balanced and concise analysis of PTSD that will serve as an insightful guide to the nature and evolution of the disorder.
—Edgar Jones, King's College London,
Bulletin of the History of MedicinePTSD is an excellent survey: sharp, well-informed, probing and suitably skeptical of the epistemological status of a disorder that has become emblematic of our times. Horwitz is sympathetic to the suffering of trauma victims, but he is fully aware of the political, constructed nature of the underlying diagnosis, and the double-edged sword that it represents.
—Andrew Scull, PhD, University of California, San Diego,
Journal of the History of Medicine & Allied SciencesIn this eminently accessible history of PTSD, Horwitz skillfully guides readers through a history of traumatic responses, seamlessly incorporating a variety of technical sources, including medical research and legal thought on compensation . . .
PTSD is an important contribution to the field, offering a powerful interpretative and analytic framework to revisit a well-documented history of trauma.
—Mical Raz, University of Rochester,
Journal of American HistoryTracing its evolution from the mid-nineteenth century to today, Horwitz uses PTSD's distinct character as an effective wedge to open and explore deep questions regarding the relationship between culture and psychiatric diagnoses and the ways in which social, political, and economic concerns have shaped how we understand trauma. The end result is a well-written, succinct history that spins out many promising threads for future scholars to pursue. Indeed, I can think of no better introduction to PTSD. Any aspiring scholar would do well to begin her explorations into the topic here. For this reason,
PTSD: A Short History takes its place among the must-reads on PTSD.
—Owen Whooley, University of New Mexico,
Contemporary SociologyTable of ContentsForeword, by Charles E. Rosenberg
Preface
Chapter 1. A Disorder through Time 1
Chapter 2. PTSD Emerges
Chapter 3. The Psychic Wounds of Combat
Chapter 4. Diagnosing PTSD
Chapter 5. The Return of the Repressed
Chapter 6. PTSD Becomes Ubiquitous
Chapter 7. Implications
Notes
Index
