The mental health of aboriginal peoples is a serious concern in a number of industrialized countries, as epidemiological surveys of such groups have consistently shown alarmingly high rates of mental disorders. By adopting an approach both sociological and anthropological, Tsai Yu-Yueh has produced an in-depth analysis of the effects of modernization on the Tao people of Taiwan, providing valuable historical and sociocultural perspectives on the understanding and management of mental disorders in general. Thanks to its moving firsthand accounts of traumatic encounters with modernity, the book makes a significant contribution to the literature on the plight of aboriginal peoples in modern society. Insightful about the nature of mental disorders, it should also be of interest to historians of medicine, medical sociologists, medical anthropologists, mental health professionals, and indeed anyone concerned with mental health.
