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Mental Illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms

Author

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  • Metzl, J.M.
  • MacLeish, K.T.

Abstract

Four assumptions frequently arise in the aftermath of mass shootings in the United States: (1) that mental illness causes gun violence, (2) that psychiatric diagnosis can predict gun crime, (3) that shootings represent the deranged acts of mentally ill loners, and (4) that gun control "won't prevent" another Newtown (Connecticut school mass shooting). Each of these statements is certainly true in particular instances. Yet, as we show, notions of mental illness that emerge in relation to mass shootings frequently reflect larger cultural stereotypes and anxieties about matters such as race/ethnicity, social class, and politics. These issues become obscured when mass shootings come to stand in for all gun crime, and when "mentally ill" ceases to be a medical designation and becomes a sign of violent threat.

Suggested Citation

  • Metzl, J.M. & MacLeish, K.T., 2015. "Mental Illness, mass shootings, and the politics of American firearms," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(2), pages 240-249.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302242_8
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302242
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    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan M. Metzl, 2019. "What guns mean: the symbolic lives of firearms," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-5, December.
    2. James F. Anderson & Kellie Reinsmith-Jones & Tazinski Lee & Adam H. Langsam, 2019. "A Tri-state Investigation of Firearms Confiscation on Three Regional University Campuses," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 7(5), pages 22-33, September.
    3. Michael R. Ulrich, 2022. "Balancing Rights and Responsibilities: The Role of Government and Citizens in Combatting Gun Violence," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 704(1), pages 292-309, November.
    4. Rakesh Banerjee & Tushar Bharati, 2020. "Mass shootings and Infant Health in the United States," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 20-16, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    5. Yongjin Choi & Ashley M. Fox, 2022. "Fact‐value framework for adjudicating public health policy debates," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 39(6), pages 820-844, November.
    6. Huff, Aimee Dinnin & Barnhart, Michelle, 2022. "UNRAVEL-ing gnarly knots: A path for researching market-entangled wicked social problems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 717-727.
    7. Metzl, Jonathan M. & McKay, Tara & Piemonte, Jennifer L., 2021. "Structural competency and the future of firearm research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    8. Laura H Gunn & Enrique ter Horst & Talar W Markossian & German Molina, 2018. "Online interest regarding violent attacks, gun control, and gun purchase: A causal analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, November.
    9. Annie Dell’Aria, 2020. "Loaded objects: addressing gun violence through art in the gallery and beyond," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-11, December.

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