Wanderings

Barbados, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, France, Italy,
Morocco: Over the course of 5 years, Dr. Ezra E. H. Griffith, Professor
Emeritus of Psychiatry and African American Studies at Yale University,
visited these countries and more, bearing witness to and documenting acts of
living in different eras and cultures. Leveraging academic literature and
anthropological discourse, he considered the psychosocial experiences of the
individuals he encountered.

Now, more than 50 of these brief
reflections-originally published as columns in the American Psychiatric
Association's Psychiatric News-have been gathered in this
qualitative, culture-based collection of narratives. Organized by theme, the
pieces explore topics that include


* Matters of race
* Contending with disability
* The effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic
* Sacred spaces and spirituality as a method of
controlling the environment that surrounds us
* Artistic expression as a
means for seeking freedom

In addition to the columns, each chapter
features new commentary and clinical observations as well as questions that
help readers tie the very personal narratives to their own clinical work.
Throughout, Griffith uses techniques of biography, photography, and medical
anthropology to provide insights into theorizing about current themes in the
social world.

Wanderings: A Psychiatrist Reflects on People,
Places, and Health offers no hypotheses to prove or disprove, nor
does it evaluate whether the individuals presented have done things the
"right" or "wrong" way. Instead, it invites psychiatrists and other
clinicians to consider the social worlds in which their patients are
embedded and the sociocultural factors that influence health and well-being.
Most importantly, it underscores each individual's fundamental humanity and
dignity.