From Hungarians to Hmong: A Variant on the Ostrich Syndrome
Author(s):
Singer, Margaret Thaler
Format:
Journal article
Citation:
Contemporary Psychology, Volume 33, Issue 3 (1988-03). pp. 231-232.
Language:
English
Abstract:
Reviews the book, Refugee Mental Health in Resettlement Countries edited by Carolyn L. Williams and Joseph Westermeyer (1986). This book is a state-of-the-art review of mental health work with refugees and conveys a plea to policymakers, scholars, and clinicians. The appeals made to these three groups intertwine to become a compelling document, which causes the reader to hope that the book receives a wide audience, not only among the abovementioned professionals but also among university teachers and students as well as almost any human service provider. Furthermore, the style of the book can serve as a model for edited works. Many authors in this book call attention to the paucity of research on life in camps--the published research centers mainly on basic health issues. They note that as nations and as scholars, there is a shared mentality that "each crisis is a new crisis." This reviewer wants to label this phenomenon a variant of the ostrich syndrome. The proverbial ostrich buries its head in the sand and avoids dealing with the nearby dangers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)