ABSTRACT
The varied and diverse perspectives of mad people have existed since ancient times when the first concepts around mental difference began to be described, such as in regard to Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel in the Jewish Bible and the Christian Old Testament. This chapter examines key secondary literature and international trends on the historiography of mad people's perspectives and experiences. The writing of this history has evolved since the 1980s from interpreting previously published sources in anthologies to integrating unpublished first-person accounts in institutional histories, biographies, and accounts of advocacy efforts. This effort for broader historiographical inclusivity is the most consistent theme here - from inclusion of mad voices in the first place, to inclusion of more diverse perspectives of people based on their gender, race, class, and ability. In Michel Foucault's immensely influential study on the history of madness, there is no serious attention devoted to mad people's experiences.
