Transcultural psychiatry: personal experiences and Canadian perspectives

In the mid-1950s, a unique section of transcultural psychiatric studies was established within the McGill Department of Psychiatry. These personal recollections describe the backgrounds, methods, and motivations of those most involved and suggest why such a specialized study should have emerged in Canada and at McGill. Some of the major controversies and developments in the field are explored, focusing on the question of culture-bound syndromes and their occasional biological underpinnings. The relevance of transcultural psychiatry to psychiatric practice is discussed.