Book excerpt: This title is directed primarily towards health care professionals outside of the United States. It examines some of the ideology and professional issues surrounding the theory and practice of mental health nursing. The author supplies an analysis that goes beyond normal factual texts, drawing on a wide range of orthodox and unorthodox professional literature from several disciplines. Dr Clarke analyses five areas - race/ethnicity, education, ethics, research, and violence - in his distinctive style. The results are enlightening and practitioners of all levels are challenged to review how they think about mental health practice. * Analysis of key subjects relevant to mental health practitioners at all levels * Provocative style to promote further debate * Wide range of references and further reading to stimulate wider study * Brings together a comprehensive range of topics in one volume to encourage understanding of broad context of practice