| Popis: |
This thesis is an investigation of the use and purpose of the 'New Moon,' an asylum magazine, between 1844 and 1916. Written and published by patients at the Crichton Royal Institution, a lunatic asylum in Dumfries, Scotland, the 'New Moon' was published almost without interruption until 1937 when it was renamed the 'Crichtonian ' and later the 'Crichton News.' This thesis situates the 'New Moon' as a therapeutic tool that provided patients a means of expression and agency within the walls of the asylum and considers how its interpretation provides insight into asylum culture and the complexity of the patient experience. It argues that the magazine provided an alternate patient voice and attempts, in part, to reframe how the asylum has been commonly perceived. It also positions the 'New Moon' in relation with occupational and recreational therapies, as well as art and literature of the insane. Consideration is further given to the community building role of the magazine. |
