Ethics and the societies of the world -- The impact of Arab culture on psychiatric ethics -- Conflicts and crises in Latin America -- A West Mediterranean perspective -- Scandinavian approaches -- Culture and ethics of managed care in the United States -- Ethics in Sub-Saharan Africa -- The Indian experience -- Ethics and psychiatry in China -- Intersubjectivity and its influence on psychiatry in Japan -- Research involving incompetent patients : a current problem in light of German history -- Informed consent : a historical and medical perspective -- An international perspective on mental health law reform.