Medicalization and Social Control

1992/08/01 by Peter Conrad · 1 voice · 5 citations
Arts and Humanities · Psychology · #Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies #Historical Psychiatry and Medical Practices #Medical History and Research

paper · doi:10.1146/annurev.so.18.080192.001233

openalex publication_date 1992/08/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

This essay examines the major conceptual issues concerning medicalization and social control, emphasizing studies published on the topic since 1980. Several issues are considered: the emergence, definition, contexts, process, degree, range, consequences, critiques, and future of medicalization and demedicalization. Also discussed are the relation of medicalization and social control, the effect of changes in the medical profession and organization on medicalization, and dilemmas and lacunae in medicalization research.

Cited by

• Análises da neurolinguística discursiva sobre o método fônico
• Ethik der genetischen Kommunikation im Kontext des genomischen Neugeborenen-Screenings: Hermeneutische Überlegungen und zwei Fallbeispiele
• Competing Models of Disability: Medicalization’s Ambivalent Effects on the Paralympic Movement
• Weight stigma, addiction, science, and the medication of fatness in mid‐twentieth century America
• Drug Courts and the Logic of Coerced Treatment1

Discussions

• Readings: Conrad, P. (1992). Medicalization and Social Control. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 209-232. doi.org/10.1146/annu... Busfield, J. (2017). The concept of medicalisation reassessed. Sociolo [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]

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