"Medical dialogues are rarely solely about medical matters but
serve as a proxy for feelings about the self and the way that an
individual relates to others. Indeed, the inclusion of transcripts
of interviews and discussions is of particular value...a brave book
that challenges popular assumptions about Gulf War syndrome; her
analysis of the long-term effects of military service will serve as
an important record not only for those with an interest in the
armed forces, but also for researchers in the field of illness
perception." . The British Journal of Psychiatry
"This is an important anthropological study, which I believe is
set to become a classic. The theoretical perspectives are clearly
presented and applied to compelling ethnographic material. The
publication of this manuscript will make it accessible to both
undergraduate and graduate students of anthropology, as well as
students of political science, sociology and military studies." .
Vieda Skultans
From September 1990 to June 1991, the UK deployed 53,462
military personnel in the Gulf War. After the end of the conflict
anecdotal reports of various disorders affecting troops who fought
in the Gulf began to surface. This mysterious illness was given the
name "Gulf War Syndrome" (GWS). This book is an investigation into
this recently emergent illness, particularly relevant given ongoing
UK deployments to Iraq, describing how the illness became a potent
symbol for a plethora of issues, anxieties, and concerns. At
present, the debate about GWS is polarized along two lines: there
are those who think it is a unique, organic condition caused by
Gulf War toxins and those who argue that it is probably a
psychological condition that can be seen as part of a larger group
of illnesses. Using the methods and perspective of anthropology,
with its focus on nuances and subtleties, the author provides a new
approach to understanding GWS, one that makes sense of the cultural
circumstances, specific and general, which gave rise to the
illness.
Susie Kilshaw is a social anthropologist at University College
London where she pursues her research interests in new illnesses,
health scares and anxieties, military health, and trans-cultural
psychiatry. She previously worked for the NHS as a clinically
applied medical anthropologist on issues surrounding ethnic
minorities and mental health. Since 2004 she has been Assistant
Editor of Anthropology and Medicine."
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