
Codependent Forevermore
The Invention of Self in a Twelve Step Group
Leslie Irvine(Author)
University of Chicago Press
2nd Edition
Published on 1. October 1999
Book
Hardback
200 pages
978-0-226-38471-9 (ISBN)
Description
In the same week that his father died, Alex came home to find his live-in fiancee in bed with another man. Paul is a divorced single parent who was recently forced to go on disability. Liz left an abusive husband and then found herself involved with yet another controlling man. These three, along with many others, have found a kind of salvation in Codependents Anonymous. The text asks whether this is self-indulgent psychobabble or legitimate therapy?; are Twelve Step groups helpful communities or disguised addictions?; and what exactly "is" codependency, the psychological condition that has apparently swept the United States? Leslie Irvine went inside "CoDA" to find out. The book is thus an insider's look at the world of people "in recovery" and the society that produced them. Through interviews with CoDA members, case studies and the meetings she attended regularly, Irvine develops a perspective on contemporary Americans' sense of self. She explores the idea that selfhood is a narrative accomplishment, achieved by people telling stories to themselves and about themselves.
She shows how Alex, Paul, Liz and many others create a sense of self by combining elements of autobiography, culture and social structure all within the adopted language of psycho-spirituality. By following the progress and tribulations of CoDA members, Irvine seeks to get to the heart of widespread American conceptions of relationships, selfhood and community. Amidst the increasingly shrill criticism of the Twelve Step ethos, her analysis of these groups reveals the sources of both their power and their popularity.
She shows how Alex, Paul, Liz and many others create a sense of self by combining elements of autobiography, culture and social structure all within the adopted language of psycho-spirituality. By following the progress and tribulations of CoDA members, Irvine seeks to get to the heart of widespread American conceptions of relationships, selfhood and community. Amidst the increasingly shrill criticism of the Twelve Step ethos, her analysis of these groups reveals the sources of both their power and their popularity.
More details
Edition
2nd ed.
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Publishing group
The University of Chicago Press
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 160 mm
Weight
49 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-226-38471-9 (9780226384719)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Acknowledgments Introduction Part One: Not Just Another Addiction: The Role of Institutions 1. Codependency, Addiction Treatment, and the Therapeutic Ethos 2. In Search of the Recovery "Industry" 3. Uncoupling and Narratives of the Self 4. The Institution "Lite" Part Two: Codependency as Narrative Strategy: The Role of Culture 5. Codependency as a Strategy of Transition 6. "Even Better Than the Real Thing": Codependency as a Strategy of Emotion Management 7. Gender Troubles: Codependency as a Narrative of Equality and Respect 8. Codependency as a Narrative of Victimization Conclusion Appendix: Informed Consent and Fieldwork in Twelve Step Groups Notes References Index