This book is a highly readable overview of the origins and the current state of the principles, key concepts, and applications of psychatry. Special emphasis is given to the various 'schools' of the subject, and their key differences with regard to philosophy, but more importantly relating to the practical implications for treatment under the various approaches. Each of the chapters is written by an internationally known expert representing the particular viewpoint in question. - The French Psychiatric Tradition - Russian and Soviet Psychiatry - The US Scene - Approaches to Diagnosis and Classification in German-speaking Psychiatry - The Scandinavian School - Diagnosis and Classification in the Third World - Spanish Psychiatry