Steps Toward an Integration of Psychological and Visual Anthropology: Issues Raised in the Production of the Film SeriesAfflictions: Culture and Mental Illness in Indonesia

Abstract

Afflictions: Culture and Mental Illness in Indonesia, the first ethnographic documentary film series on mental illness in the developing world, examines the lives of people with neuropsychiatric disorders and mental illness on the islands of Bali and Java and considers the impact of personal experience, family, culture, and community on the course of their illness. This article reflects on issues that arose in production and explores the theoretical underpinnings of the films in order to highlight the rich potential of psychologically oriented ethnographic films and advocate for them as a genre. While ethnographic film provides an opportunity to explore the theories and methods of psychological anthropology, psychological anthropology's insights into the nature of subjectivity and emotion can help craft stirring and character-driven ethnographic films. Psychologically oriented ethnographic films can inject new life into data presentation, illuminate the interpenetration between culture and mental health, and illustrate contemporary anthropology's relevance to current global issues. The article concludes by suggesting future directions for both research and filmmaking. [ethnographic film, psychological anthropology, mental illness, Indonesia] Indonesian Abstract Afflictions: Culture and Mental Illness in Indonesia, seri film dokumentar tentang masalah penyakit jiwa di negara berkembang yang pertama, meneliti kehidupan orang-orang dengan gangguan neuropsikiatri dan penyakit mental di pulau Bali dan Java. Seri ini mempertimbangkan dampak dari pengalaman pribadi, keluarga, budaya, dan masyarakat pada perjalanan penyakitnya. Artikel ini mencerminkan pada isu-isu yang muncul dalam produksi seri sendiri dan mengeksplorasi teoretis film-film untuk menyoroti potensi kaya film etnografi berorientasi psikologis dan mengadvokasi bagi mereka sebagai suatu genre. Sementara film etnografi memberikan kesempatan untuk mengeksplorasi teori dan metode antropologi psikologis, wawasan antropologi psikologis ke dalam sifat subjektivitas dan emosi dapat mensupport pembuatan film etnografi yang character-driven dan mengharukan. Film etnografi berorientasi psikologis dapat menyuntikkan kehidupan baru ke dalam presentasi data, menerangi interpenetrasi antara budaya dan kesehatan mental, dan menggambarkan relevansi antropologi kontemporer terhadap isu-isu global saat ini. Artikel ini diakhiri dengan menyarankan arah masa depan untuk penelitian dan pembuatan film. [Kata kunci: film etnografi, antropologi psikologis, penyakit mental, Indonesia] Supartini (Interviewer): Earlier, you said that abandoned Kereta for a year and a half. Was it a year and a half or a month and a half? Mr. Kereta: Half a year . . . (Glancing over at his wife) Mrs. Kereta: One year and a half! (Voice lowered, nodding emphatically at interviewer).

The bird dancer and the warrior king: Divergent lived experiences of Tourette syndrome in Bali

“…What makes our study unique and somewhat unorthodox is the inclusion of a film component. While visual methods such as film have been used to aid in observation, data collection, and archiving in anthropology more broadly, film has rarely been used in psychological anthropology per se (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015b). With its open identification of participants, the use of visual ethnography as part of data collection and presentation does bring up unique ethical concerns with regard to consent, confidentiality, and potential beneficial and harmful impacts to the participants, discussion of which is beyond the scope of the conversation here but has been addressed by others (Clark, Prosser, & Wiles, 2010; Perry & Marion, 2010), and in depth by co-authors in relation to their research, including the study presented here (Lemelson & Tucker, 2017).…”

“…With its open identification of participants, the use of visual ethnography as part of data collection and presentation does bring up unique ethical concerns with regard to consent, confidentiality, and potential beneficial and harmful impacts to the participants, discussion of which is beyond the scope of the conversation here but has been addressed by others (Clark, Prosser, & Wiles, 2010; Perry & Marion, 2010), and in depth by co-authors in relation to their research, including the study presented here (Lemelson & Tucker, 2017). Furthermore, our methods go beyond mere recording to incorporate elements of narrative, character development, and storytelling, which fosters a focus on the embodied and intersubjective aspects of the emotional force and lived experience of neuropsychiatric disorder (Lemelson & Tucker, 2015b). This research resulted in two films, The Bird Dancer (Lemelson, 2010) about Gusti Ayu and Kites and Monsters (Lemelson, 2011), about Wayan Yoga.…”

The lives of terminally ill people with neuropsychiatric complications of AIDS

“…Some or all of these techniques can be improvised/adapted and incorporated to build a compelling narrative that is true to the subject as well as to the character's mental state. These challenges have been reviewed and discussed in Lemelson and Tucker 2015. The aim behind my work is to understand the subjectivity of a terminally ill person living with AIDS, dementia, and psychosis, and to present this within a visual and auditory space that could perhaps inspire caregiving practices. Caring for a terminally ill person with AIDS and neurological disorders requires specialised training, which can be drawn from video recordings of caregiver-patient encounters.…”

Participatory Ethnographic Film: Video Advocacy and Engagement with Q’eqchi’ Maya Medical Practitioners in Belize

“…Other firms, such as Elemental Productions (owned by an anthropologist), tell us what a good ethnographic film should look like, and not surprisingly a lot like the ones that they produce (eg. Lemelson & Tucker, 2015). Most ethnographic films are made for a western audience to consume and are typically made on a for-profit basis.…”

“…Accessible technology and software have led to an emergence of alt-ethnographic film based on a participatory model, and typically undertaken with limited funding and limited distribution. Professional anthropological filmmakers like Lemelson and Tucker (2015) can easily advocate for high levels of training and even collaborations with experts, arguing that, It is not enough simply to have a camera available, since the kinds of footage appropriate for data collection and analysis, shot by an often unsteady hand, poorly lit, poorly composed, and with inadequate audio levels, will not necessarily be compelling, or even usable, when attempts are made to transform this material either into full-length films or even shorter compositions edited for lecture, conference, or translational presentations (p.31).…”