From: jan.jaap.rothuizen-AT-jydskpaedsem.dk
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 12:42:51 +0100
Subject: Vedr: Re: HAB: Coercion in Drug Treatment




Gary D wrote:
<Rehabilitation is based in
habilitation: (re)making a good lifeworld that
prevents regression, and of course a good lifeworld is
communicatively good.>

It´s interesting to take a look at Habermas´ theory for "treatment" or better,
for
how to re-establish the communicative action that´s constitutive for social
integration.
The original question was about the relevance of analyzing the treatment as
(partly) a symptom of colonisation. You can make that analysis.
The next question is about if it is true, even when you work with (treat) people
who are not able / willing to honour the validity-claims, people with whom you
can't start a discourse, that one can work on establishing communicative
coordination of action  -.instead of coercion. Is it possible to reach a level
of mutual understanding that can bear the conflicts that are necessary for
getting through a developmental proces?  Is it possible to make a pedagogical
relationship?
I try to make some empirical studies on that subject, not concerning
drug-abusers, but mentally retarded and mentally ill people living in the
community.
Anyway, what is the alternative? Coercion? I think the conception of majority
(Mündigkeit) implies that you only can attain it by experience and "exercise",
by participation.  Can you imagine anyone can grow into majority as a
consequence of being oppressed?

Jan Jaap






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