ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the labelling theory of mental illness as originally presented by Thomas Scheff in 1966, as well as the debates and developments that have followed his work. Labelling theory is one of the most influential theoretical approaches that has been systematically applied to understand mental illness as a social phenomenon. It can be seen as a social constructivist approach with a kinship to notions such as medicalisation, stigma and normalisation. Broadly speaking, labelling theory takes an interest in the social processes whereby certain people are defined as 'deviant' by society. By insisting on the relevance of social structures and social interactions in defining mental illness, in the identification of individuals said to suffer from it and the measures institutions take to manage and treat them, labelling theory can guide the choice of critical research questions and the design of empirical research, as well as the critical interpretation of results.
