Wanderings: A Psychiatrist Reflects on People, Places, and Health

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.