Latah, the Malayan hyperstartle pattern, has fascinated Western observers since the late nineteenth century and is widely regarded as a 'culture-bound syndrome'. Dr Winzeler critically reviews the literature on the subject, and presents new ethnographic information based on his own fieldwork in Malaya and Borneo. He considers the biological and psychological hypotheses that have been proposed to account for latah, and explains the ways in which local people understand it. Arguing that latah has specific social functions, he concludes that it is not appropriate to regard it as an 'illness' or 'syndrome'.

A critical reassessment of latah, the Malayan hyperstartle pattern, and 'culture-bound syndrome'.
Reviews
'Winzeler's book is a well written and well documented monograph on a difficult topic, based on thorough research, carefully argued ... convincing.' Bijdragen



Book Information
ISBN 9780521031370
Author Robert L. Winzeler
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 290g
Dimensions(mm) 220mm * 150mm * 11mm