A Disease of One's Own: Psychotherapy, Addiction and the Emergence of Co-dependency - Softcover

Steadman Rice, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0765804549 ISBN 13: 9780765804549

Publisher: Transaction Publishers, 1998

Synopsis

A Disease of One's Own In the present decade, "co-dependency" has sprung up on the landscape of American popular culture. Portrayed as an addiction-like disease responsible for a wide range of personal and social problems, co-dependency spawned a veritable social movement nationwide. A Disease of One's Own examines the phenomenon of co-dependency from a sociological perspective, viewing it not as something a person "has... Full description

About this title

Review

"Rice provides a critical and provocative evaluation of the codependency movement, which has attracted millions of adherents... The author's central premise is that codependency as a basis for a system of therapy is the product of a cultural transformation in which imposed requirements for selfless behavior by the family, school, and church are being rejected... His ideas are organized, clearly stated, and show sophisticated insights into how such a movement evolved."

--W. P. Anderson, Choice

"Rice provides a critical and provocative evaluation of the codependency movement, which has attracted millions of adherents... The author's central premise is that codependency as a basis for a system of therapy is the product of a cultural transformation in which imposed requirements for selfless behavior by the family, school, and church are being rejected... His ideas are organized, clearly stated, and show sophisticated insights into how such a movement evolved."

--W. P. Anderson, Choice

"[Rice's] agile use of language and his ability to present an analysis without resorting to either apologetics or invective make the book a pleasure to read. . . . Rice has written a book that takes codependency seriously and analyzes transformations in discourse."

--Charles Derber, Contemporary Sociology

"John Rice, rather than coming to praise or defend co-dependency, actually tries to understand its appeal. The result is a clear-headed example of a sociological investigation as it is supposed to be. A Disease of One's Own is a book well worth reading."

--Alan Wolfe, professor of sociology, Boston University

"In A Disease of One's Own, Rice offers a penetrating, insightful, and profound analysis of the co-dependency movement. We not only learn much about the nature, emergence and consequences of this important stream of popular "liberation psychotherapy" but about American culture generally, in its abiding romance with therapeutic self-help. This is an outstanding work, one demonstrating originality, careful analysis and deep theoretical and moral reflection. It fully merits a place alongside the great works of Phillip Rieff and Christopher Lasch."

--James Davison Hunter, Kenan Professor of Sociology, University of Virginia

"Rice provides a critical and provocative evaluation of the codependency movement, which has attracted millions of adherents... The author's central premise is that codependency as a basis for a system of therapy is the product of a cultural transformation in which imposed requirements for selfless behavior by the family, school, and church are being rejected... His ideas are organized, clearly stated, and show sophisticated insights into how such a movement evolved."

--W. P. Anderson, Choice

"[Rice's] agile use of language and his ability to present an analysis without resorting to either apologetics or invective make the book a pleasure to read. . . . Rice has written a book that takes codependency seriously and analyzes transformations in discourse."

--Charles Derber, Contemporary Sociology

"John Rice, rather than coming to praise or defend co-dependency, actually tries to understand its appeal. The result is a clear-headed example of a sociological investigation as it is supposed to be. A Disease of One's Own is a book well worth reading."

--Alan Wolfe, professor of sociology, Boston University

"In A Disease of One's Own, Rice offers a penetrating, insightful, and profound analysis of the co-dependency movement. We not only learn much about the nature, emergence and consequences of this important stream of popular "liberation psychotherapy" but about American culture generally, in its abiding romance with therapeutic self-help. This is an outstanding work, one demonstrating originality, careful analysis and deep theoretical and moral reflection. It fully merits a place alongside the great works of Phillip Rieff and Christopher Lasch."

--James Davison Hunter, Kenan Professor of Sociology, University of Virginia

-Rice provides a critical and provocative evaluation of the codependency movement, which has attracted millions of adherents... The author's central premise is that codependency as a basis for a system of therapy is the product of a cultural transformation in which imposed requirements for selfless behavior by the family, school, and church are being rejected... His ideas are organized, clearly stated, and show sophisticated insights into how such a movement evolved.-

--W. P. Anderson, Choice

-[Rice's] agile use of language and his ability to present an analysis without resorting to either apologetics or invective make the book a pleasure to read. . . . Rice has written a book that takes codependency seriously and analyzes transformations in discourse.-

--Charles Derber, Contemporary Sociology

-John Rice, rather than coming to praise or defend co-dependency, actually tries to understand its appeal. The result is a clear-headed example of a sociological investigation as it is supposed to be. A Disease of One's Own is a book well worth reading.-

--Alan Wolfe, professor of sociology, Boston University

-In A Disease of One's Own, Rice offers a penetrating, insightful, and profound analysis of the co-dependency movement. We not only learn much about the nature, emergence and consequences of this important stream of popular -liberation psychotherapy- but about American culture generally, in its abiding romance with therapeutic self-help. This is an outstanding work, one demonstrating originality, careful analysis and deep theoretical and moral reflection. It fully merits a place alongside the great works of Phillip Rieff and Christopher Lasch.-

--James Davison Hunter, Kenan Professor of Sociology, University of Virginia

Synopsis

During the 1990s, co-dependency has become part of the landscape of popular culture. This book examines the phenomenon from a sociological perspective, viewing co-dependency as a belief system that affects the self and social relationships.

About this edition

• Publisher: Transaction Publishers
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0765804549
• ISBN 13: 9780765804549
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 262