Читать книгу The Rise of the Therapeutic Society: Psychological Knowledge & the Contradictions of Cultural Change - Katie Wright - Страница 3

Since the publication in 1966 of Philip Rieff's classic treatise, The Triumph of the Therapeutic, the West's fascination with the psychological has been a subject of ongoing scholarly interest. In the wake of his brilliant, if at times impenetrable, study of "faith after Freud," stands a now voluminous literature that extends Rieff's analytic frame in a variety of directions. In light of these debates, this book offers an account of the rise of the therapeutic in Australia, where its presence is evident no less than in other parts of the West. Beyond telling an Australian story, however, the book has a theoretical purpose that transcends national boundaries. My hope, therefore, is that it will appeal both to those already familiar with debates about the therapeutic, as well as those interested in the spread of psychological knowledges and changing ideas about the self and emotional life in Australia and beyond.

In the face of its pervasiveness, the therapeutic is a daunting object of study, one I suspect that leaves those who endeavor to investigate it acutely aware of the impossibility of coming to grips with its many and varied dimensions. It is both omnipresent and ephemeral, finding expression in a multiplicity of ways at different times and in a variety of locations. I have tried to capture something of its disparate historical development by focusing on some of the key institutional sites and processes involved in its emergence. I have also tried to bring to bear upon my analysis a central dimension of the therapeutic society that is too often overlooked: people's actual experiences of therapy.

That the initial ideas for this book developed into this volume was made possible by a number of people, all of whom I owe a debt of gratitude. I extend my warmest thanks and deep appreciation to the people interviewed for this project about their experiences of therapy and counseling. Their willingness to share intimate and personal experiences of very difficult times in their lives provides a most valuable insight into the complexity of the therapeutic. Although material from their interviews appears only in one chapter, it was these initial discussions that convinced me of the need to develop an alternative account of the therapeutic turn. I also offer special thanks to Stephanie Dowrick, Amanda Gordon, Antony Kidman, and Peter O'Connor, for sharing their insights and experiences of providing psychological support to others.

Many of the ideas that shape this book arose from discussions with Kerreen Reiger, and her encouragement and critical feedback from the early stages of the project to its completion has been invaluable. John Carroll also provided advice along the way, and from a more skeptical standpoint than mine, challenged me to think critically about the place of therapy in modern society. A number of other people kindly commented on drafts and for insightful and constructive suggestions, I thank Sean Byrne, Julie McLeod, Josh Switzer, and Brenda Tait. In addition, I thank James Wright for help in preparing the images for publication. Thanks also, of course, to my friends and family for their support and encouragement: Montana Sue Watkin and John Wright especially. I should also like to acknowledge the institutions which enabled me to complete this project: the Sociology Department at La Trobe University where this research began, and the Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne, where it was completed.

Parts of this work have appeared elsewhere in somewhat different form and I extend my thanks to the editors and publishers for allowing me to republish revised versions of the following: "Theorizing Therapeutic Culture: Past Influences, Future Directions," Journal of Sociology 44 no. 4 (2008): 321-336; "Engendering a Therapeutic Ethos: Modernity, Masculinity & Nervousness," Journal of Historical Sociology 22 no. 1 (2009): 84-107; and 'Therapy Culture' in Reflected Light: La Trobe Essays, edited by Peter Beilharz and Robert Manne, 302-312 (Black Inc: Melbourne, 2006).

I am grateful for permission to reproduce the artwork appearing on the cover: "Street Scene" by Charles Blackman, 1960, oil on masonite. Collection: Art Gallery of Ballarat, The William, Rene and Blair Ritchie Collection. Bequest of Blair Ritchie, 1998.

I am also grateful to those copyright holders who have given permission to reproduce images used in the text. While every effort has been made to trace and contact copyright holders for all of the illustrations used in this volume, it has not been possible to determine copyright in all cases. For any omissions I apologize to those concerned.

This book is dedicated to my children Jake, Molly, and Brigid, whose good humor, encouragement, and patience kept me going, and to my husband Sean, who has lived with this project for as long as I have, and whose friendship, support, and scholarly insight made its completion possible.