The Literary and Linguistic Construction of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: No Ordinary Doubt (Literary Disability Studies) - Hardcover

Friedrich, Patricia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 113749347X ISBN 13: 9781137493477

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015

Synopsis

What does it mean to live with obsessive-compulsive disorder in a time when the word "obsession" has become synonymous with "driven", "focused" or "infatuated"? This book presents a literary and linguistic reading of obsessive-compulsive disorder, both in its contemporary form and its historical antecedent, to argue that medical understandings of disability need their social, political, literary and linguistic counterparts, especially if we aspire to create a more inclusive society. The chapters visit memoirs, historical texts, novels and movies to demonstrate how each of these manifestations becomes a part of the "story" of OCD. In that sense, we construct reality based on the discourses that are available to us, and the discourses of OCD are yet to encompass all of its diversity and complexity.

About this title

Product Description:

This book presents a literary and linguistic reading of obsessive-compulsive disorder to argue that medical understandings of disability need their social, political, literary and linguistic counterparts, especially if we aspire to create a more inclusive, self-reflective society.

About the Author:

Patricia Friedrich is Associate Professor at Arizona State University, USA. She teaches and conducts research on the social/political environments where linguistic expression occurs. Her works dwells on the intersection of power, language, culture and peace. She has published dozens of articles in periodicals, a single-authored book, and two collections for which she served as editor. She is also a published author of literary fiction.

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 113749347X
• ISBN 13: 9781137493477
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 221