The United States has long been known as the country that sent fast food and hip-hop music to other parts of the world. Watters (Urban Tribes) asserts that America is pushing more than just its culture: American trauma counselors and mental health workers are convincing the world to adopt their definition of mental illnesses occurring in times of crisis. Through case studies, Watters shows how the symptoms and causes of anorexia, PTSD, schizophrenia, and depression have become more prevalent in Eastern countries owing to American influence. Watters urges readers to set aside cultural expectations of the causes of mental illnesses by illustrating the idiosyncrasies and so-called treatments of these diseases by Western clinicians in foreign nations. He deftly outlines the implications of American influence and the need to treat mental illness in a culturally appropriate context.

Verdict Watters commands attention with his repartee and conversational manner while drawing much-needed attention to the consequences of Western intrusion. This fascinating book deserves attention from mental health workers and Americans interested in the reach of their culture’s psyche across the globe.—Melissa Mallon, Univ. of Pittsburgh Johnstown