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“Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910
Includes bibliographical references.
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| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Historical Studies
2014
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| _version_ | 1867613263545499648 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Swanson, Felicity |
| author2 | Mager, Anne |
| author_browse | Mager, Anne Swanson, Felicity |
| author_facet | Mager, Anne Swanson, Felicity |
| author_sort | Swanson, Felicity |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9712 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:21.255Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | Department of Historical Studies |
| publisherStr | Department of Historical Studies |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9712 “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 Swanson, Felicity Mager, Anne Historical Studies Includes bibliographical references. This thesis investigates the origins, development and consolidation of a regional network of three publicly funded and regulated mental institutions in the colonial Eastern Cape, between the years 1875 to 1910. Fort England asylum in Grahamstown was established in 1875. Port Alfred asylum followed in 1889 and the Fort Beaufort institution was opened in 1894. Each asylum retained its own distinctive character and function based on the nature of its patient population. Although geographically dispersed the asylums were intimately connected to each other, forming one integrated system to treat and manage the mentally ill. This thesis critically examines the changing patterns of care in these Eastern Cape institutions, during an important period of social, economic and political change in the Cape Colony. It traces the social and ideological construction of mental illness that was shaped by the racial, class and gendered hierarchies of colonial society. Based on empirical research, this thesis draws on Foucault's insights into the character and uses of disciplinary power implicated in the production of 'regimes of truth' about the mentally ill. The Eastern Cape institutions provide an important record of the ways in which the power invested in psychiatric theory and practice was exercised in a colonial context. In a moment hailed for its reform and progress in the treatment and care of mental illness, strategies for the exclusion, regulation and control of black mental patients were expanded in these Eastern Cape institutions. The major legacy in the treatment of mental illness in the Eastern Cape was the establishment of a system of control for black patients that was to inform future policy decisions after Union. 2014-11-18T17:05:59Z 2014-11-18T17:05:59Z 2001 Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9712 eng application/pdf Department of Historical Studies Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Historical Studies Swanson, Felicity “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 |
| title_full | “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 |
| title_fullStr | “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 |
| title_short | “Of unsound mind”: a history of three Eastern Cape mental institutions, 1875-1910 |
| title_sort | of unsound mind a history of three eastern cape mental institutions 1875 1910 |
| topic | Historical Studies |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9712 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT swansonfelicity ofunsoundmindahistoryofthreeeasterncapementalinstitutions18751910 |