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Cloven Consciousness : Dissociation in History, Theory, and Culture / By CLOVEN CONSCIOUSNESS: DISSOCIATION IN HISTORY, THEORY, AND CULTURE by Karen E. Jackson B.A., Simon Fraser University, 1998 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Education O Karen Jackson 2004 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY March 2004 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. Approval Name: Karen Eileen Jackson Degree: Master of Arts Title of ThesisIProject: Cloven Consciousness: Dissociation In History, Theory And Culture Examining Committee: Chair: Lucy LeMare Jeff Sugarrnan, Assistant Professor Senior Supervisor Janny Thompson, Associate Professor Member Robert Ley, Associate Professor, Psychology Member Dr. Susan James, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education University of British Columbia Examiner Date Approved: March 2gth, 2004 Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. T%- ---&I--- lllc QUUNL &% firtter zrgeed ihiii gemikioii foi iiiii%pk copyiiiig of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial-gain shall not be allowed without the author's written permission. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Bennett Library Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada iii ABSTRACT This thesis examines the concept of dissociation, tracing its historical development, considering the related concepts of unity and multiplicity in consciousness, and exploring manifestations of dissociation in both North American and non-Western cultures. The evolution of the diagnosis of hysteria is outlined, and its relationship to Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is discussed with reference to the work of Morton Prince and other prominent late 1gth and early 2othcentury clinicians. An examination of cross- cultural aspects of dissociation is undertaken, with attention to the culture-bound syndromes, amok, ataque de newios, latah, and kitsune-tsuki. It is argued that DID is manifested as a culture-bound syndrome. In view of this, the social and cultural differences between collectivist and individualist cultures are reviewed. Aspects of the clinical phenomenology of DID are detailed, and the dissociative continuum is explicated as it is viewed by contemporary researchers. Additionally, the influence of the media on the shaping of dissociative symptomatology and the prevalence of DID is discussed. Contributions to the wealth of literature on dissociation have been made by physicians, sociologists, psychologists, and theoreticians from a number of other disciplines. Some of these writings are examined with respect to their implications for future research in the field. 1 DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my twin sister, Gail. Your courage inspires me daily. Is multiple personality a real disorder as opposed to a product of social circumstances, a culturally permissible way to express distress or unhappiness? That question makes a presupposition that we should reject. It implies that there is an important contrast between being a real disorder and being a product of social circumstances. The fact that a certain type of mental illness appears only in specific historical or geographical contexts does not imply that it is manufactured, artificial, or in any other way not real. [\Alp! m~!qfqllb\~! q plqcp fnr hi~fnricqll~~c~nqtit~!tprf illnpqg. Ian Hacking Rewriting the Soul: Multiple Personality and the Sciences of Memory ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would to thank my senior supervisor, Dr. Jeff Sugarman, for his empathic insistence on adherence to my thesis statement and for his guidance throughout the course of this undertaking. Your energy and expertise remain greatly appreciated. I am grateful to Drs. Janny Thompson and Bob Ley for their support and suggestions. I am also indebted to my undergraduate mentor, Dr. Anand Paranjpe, a great scholar and a great humanitarian. Your teachings informed this work. TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval ............................................................................................................................ ...ii Abstract ............................................................................................................................ 111 Dedication......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ vii Preface ................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter Overviews .......................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1: Dissociation in History ..................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: A History of Hysteria ........................................................................................ 7 Chapter 3: Dissociation in Culture ..................................................................................... 8 Chapter 4: Dissociation in Theory ................................................................................... 10 Chapter 5: The Social Construction of DID ..................................................................... 11 Chapter 1 : Dissociation in History ..........................................................................14 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 14 7,.. a ... ...A! ...!. A. 4 A I Ilt: HSSUL'ldUUI IISLS .......................................................................................................... I * Aristotle ............................................................................................................................ 16 Descartes ........................................................................................................................ 18 Thomas Hobbes .............................................................................................................. 20 John Locke ...................................................................................................................... 22 David Hartley ................................................................................................................... 24 David Hume ..................................................................................................................... 26 Johann Herbart ................................................................................................................ 28 James Mill ........................................................................................................................ 29 The Reynolds Case ......................................................................................................... 31 The Advent of Hypnosis .................................................................................................. 33 The Contributions of Pierre Janet .................................................................................... 34 The Decline of Dissociation ............................................................................................. 40 The Revival ...................................................................................................................... 43 Summary ......................................................................................................................... 44 viii Chapter 2: A History of Hysteria .............................................................................46 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 46 Hysteria in Classical Thought .......................................................................................... 46 The Virtues of Abstinence ............................................................................................... 50 The Malleus Malifecarum ................................................................................................ 51 The 17th Century .............................................................................................................. 54 Hysteria in Art .................................................................................................................. 62 The 18th Century .............................................................................................................. 63 The 1gth Century .............................................................................................................. 67 The Contributions of Robert Carter ................................................................................
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