Narratives of Psychological Distress and Confinement

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course will examine the intersection between psychological distress and confinement. We will explore narratives and lived experiences of mental illness, including first person accounts, essays, works of fiction, poetry, films, and scholarly articles. Through these texts, we will consider questions such as: What is psychological suffering? What is it like to navigate the mental healthcare system? What is the relationship between mental illness and autonomy? Another major aim of the course will be to understand confinement, both physical and mental. We will address questions such as: What are the harms that people experience in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and other institutional settings? When is forced confinement justified? What is psychological confinement? The goal of the course is to both gain better understanding and empathy for different types of suffering, and imagine ways that healthcare and criminal justice systems can be reformed to better serve those who suffer.