Madness: The Invention of an Idea

Michel Foucault’s first exploration of insanity as a social construct—and his debut work of criticism, published nearly a decade before Madness and Civilization—Madness offers an invaluable lens through which to observe the seminal social critic’s philosophical evolution. Previously published as Mental Illness and Psychology, this exciting and accessible new edition offers unique insight into both Foucault’s early engagement with the psychoanalytic tradition and his critical break from Freud, giving readers a crucial look at the thinking that prefigured The History of Sexuality, The Archeology of Knowledge, and more.
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Compelling and highly influential, Michel Foucault's Madness is an indispensable work for readers who wish to understand the intellectual evolution of one of the most important social theorists of the twentieth century.

Written in 1954 and revised in 1962, Madness delineates the profound shift that occurred in Foucault's thought during this period. The first iteration reflects the philosopher's early interest in and respect for Freudian theory and the psychoanalytic tradition. The second part marks a dramatic change in Foucault's thinking. Examining the history of madness as a social and cultural construct, he moves into a radical critique of Freud and toward the postmodern deconstruction that was to dominate and define his later work.

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“A profound and influential mind” - New York Times Book Review

“Perhaps the most influential thinker of his era” - Newsweek

“Foucault’s thinking now informs work throughout the humanities and social sciences. . . . Anyone engaged in contemporary intellectual life, as observer or participant, would, it seems, want a better understanding of Foucault . . . Throughout his intellectual career, Foucault reflected ceaselessly and often brilliantly on the ways contemporary society enforces norms. ” - Washington Post