This offers a varied perspective on the popular health/illness category of nerves. Relationships between gender and nerves are investigated in terms of biology and epidemiology, interpersonal and social relations, social construction of gender, affective and symbolic qualities of nerves.

Chapter 1 George Beard and Lydia Pinkham, Dona L. Davis; Latin America; Chapter 2 Gender, Emotion, and Nervios in Urban Guatemala, Setha M. Low; Chapter 3 The Burden of Responsibility, Ruthbeth Finerman; Chapter 4 Notes on Nervios, Elyse Ann Barnett; Chapter 5 The Universality of Nerves, Kaja Finkler; Mediterranean and Northern Europe; Chapter 6 Nerves and Psychosomatic Illness, Laurie Krieger; Chapter 7 Nevra in a Greek Village, Mari H. Clark; Chapter 8 Living on their Nerves, Jeffrey A. Sluka; The United States; Chapter 9 Experience of Nervousness and Anxiety Disorders in Puerto Rican Women, Joan D. Koss-Chioino; Chapter 10 Nervios and Dysphoria in Mexican American Widows, Margarita Kay, Carmen Portillo; Chapter 11 Nerves, Worriation, and Black Women, Linda A. Camino;