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Published on: February 16, 2011
Symbolism of community I: the boundary between hospital and community
Robert J Barrett1, Damon B Parker
1University of Adelaide, Department of Psychiatry ant the Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia. robert.barrett@adelaide.edu.au
Objective:
To study the symbolism of community as understood and practised in a mental health Crisis and Assessment Service in an Australian city.
Theoretical Approaches:
The paper draws on anthropological theories of symbolism and boundary work.
Method:
Ethnographic fieldwork techniques were employed for data collection. Ethnographic analysis was then applied to these data.
Results:
In mental health practice, community is primarily defined in contradistinction to hospital. Narratives about community, including an orthodox version and a sceptical counter-narrative, revolve around this community-hospital boundary.
Conclusions:
This analysis identifies a key symbol, which we have designated community, and enumerates the social values that comprise it.
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