Sociology of Mental Health

Mental illness is often defined in biological or psychological terms. Sociologists, however, argue that the concept of mental illness is also socially constructed. The objective of this course is to introduce students to the sociological approaches used to understand mental health and illness. In this course we will cover topics like the medicalization and stigmatization of mental illness, as well as the social-structural (e.g., social class, gender, race, family structure) determinants of stress and mental health. Lastly, we will explore issues related to mental health systems, treatments, and policies. 3 hrs. lect.