Outrageous Reason

'This book is hugely ambitious, hugely provocative and brilliant. For Peter Barham, madness is no side issue; he is talking about White supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism. He tracks 'the long fuse of traumatised memory' from the Caribbean to south Asia, and from western Europe to central Africa. And here's the rub - these ideologies that drive people mad are themselves mad. We are all in the 'hold' of these forces - across the constructed imaginaries of race, class, gender, sexuality and disability. Moving 'mad psychology' to the centre of the historical analysis of imperialisms, Barham adds his voice to the chorus of calls for a completely new therapeutic environment. Black people will want to read this book because it is grounded in the Black experience, and White people will want to read it too. All mad lives matter.' -- Colin Prescod, former Chair, Institute of Race Relations 'This is a welcome contribution to the discourse on 'race' and madness. Barham unpacks how power, 'race' and class - often overlooked in this discourse - intersect to maintain systems of racism that pervaded over the centuries. This book reminds us that systems of oppression affect us all and we should actively engage in dismantling them.' -- Frank Keating, Professor of Social Work and Mental Health, Royal Holloway University of London 'A challenging, but ultimately rewarding, deep dive into the long history of racism in mental health services. Outrageous Reason takes us on a unique journey, exploring the way that black lives and mad lives are deeply entangled in the collective imagination of British society. Barham's analysis is brought to life through the stories of some key Black figures whose fates have helped shape the current landscape. Disturbing and enlightening.' -- Hel Spandler, Professor of Mental Health, University of Central Lancashire and Managing Editor of Asylum: the radical mental health magazine 'At a time when the country is grappling with imperial nostalgia, fascism ideation and the impact of their consequent anti-blackness on the bodies and minds of people racialised as black, Outrageous Reason is a crucial undertaking. Not only to better understand their deadly intersections but also to imagine alternative forms of care.' -- Guilaine Kinouani, radical psychologist and author of White Minds 'This is a powerful and impassioned analysis of the history of mental health and race, but not as a clinical problem, as has been customary in psychiatric discourse. Instead, the author situates race and mental health within the historical trajectory of the politics of reason and unreason. Peter Barham's book charts how psychiatric concepts and practice served to inferiorise and dehumanise racialised people and served to justify their oppression from the times of transatlantic slavery right up to our present-day context of institutional racism.' -- Dr Errol Francis, Artistic Director and CEO of Culture 'How could I not be truly impressed by this thought-provoking exploration of the intricate relationship between madness, race and the history of Western reason? For a psychotherapist who relishes in case study and conversations about race and identity politics, Outrageous Reason is a compelling and indispensable resource. Barham's in-depth analysis of how race and mental health have been historically intertwined resonates with my professional experience. His detailed unravelling of the complex interplay between racial liberalism and the practice of psychiatry is both enlightening and critical for understanding the challenges faced by marginalised communities today. Outrageous Reason sheds light on a topic that is often overlooked by white writers. If, like me, you consider yourself an advocate for social justice, I recommend this book as a must-read to increase your understanding of the complex dynamics of race, reason and mental health and also as a timely tool towards creating a more equitable and inclusive society.' -- Rotimi Akinsete, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and EDI consultant