Tous droits réservés © Anthropologie et Sociétés, Université Laval, 1993 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ Document generated on 03/04/2020 1:27 p.m. Anthropologie et Sociétés Éléments d'une sémiologie anthropologique des troubles psychiques chez les Bambara, Soninké et Bwa du Mali Ellen Corin, Gilles Bibeau and Elizabeth Uchôa Folies / espaces de sens Volume 17, Number 1-2, 1993 URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/015254ar DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/015254ar See table of contents Publisher(s) Département d'anthropologie de l'Université Laval ISSN 0702-8997 (print) 1703-7921 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Corin, E., Bibeau, G. & Uchôa, E. (1993). Éléments d'une sémiologie anthropologique des troubles psychiques chez les Bambara, Soninké et Bwa du Mali. Anthropologie et Sociétés, 17 (1-2), 125–156. https://doi.org/10.7202/015254ar Article abstract Eléments of an Anthropologie al Semiology of Mental Health Problems among Bambara, Soninké and Bwa in Mali The narratives of people with mental health problems among several ethnie groups in Mali lead one to observe that popular semiology (markers which serve to identify the présence of a problem) is organized around several key catégories which vary according to one's ethnicity. Thèse catégories, présent among particular groups, refer to relationship dynamics, cultural values, the concept of « self » and to the vision of the world. This analysis focuses on the comparison between the relative importance of relationship problems and isolation be-havior, the particular connotations of thèse behaviors and their place in the narrative and semiological webs of the Bambara, Soninké and Bwa. Local sémiologies are shown to be rooted in the culturally determined supernarrative context as well as in général urbanization processes. The analysis contrasts the articulation of narratives to the cultural configurations which serve to give them meaning.