The aim of the research is to investigate what the identity of the psychiatric profession and psychiatry as a science has been like, and how it has changed over time. The project will provide historical understanding of how and why the identity of psychiatry as a discipline and profession has evolved into what it is today, and what lessons can be learned from this when discussing the attractiveness of the profession now and in the future. The research has two interconnected objectives. The first concerns the identity of psychiatry as a medical specialty, which is a lasting debate in the field globally. Psychiatry has often been subject to identity crisis talk. The second objective concerns the interconnectedness of science and values. The research pursues the question of the conflict between ideals and everyday life, from values, career opportunities and financial difficulties from the 1890s until the 2020s.

2025

2029