Under the Gaze of Global Mental Health: A Critical Reflection

This book critically examines how the globalisation of mental health through the dominant medical model has created barriers to understanding and responding to distress with reference to cases from Malawi and Sri Lanka. Its authors argue that mental health must be understood within the overall health of an individual, and individual health is located within the social, political, cultural, economic, and environmental context in which they live. Their analyses demonstrate that supplanting locally developed responses to distress with a Western medicalised model of mental health inhibits a meaningful engagement with individuals and communities in need of care. Further, they argue that this ’supplanting’ is analogous with a colonial endeavour, and one which diverts attention from the real problems of development. Across contexts the book highlights the difficulties that mental health professionals face in facilitating individuals’ capacities within structurally damaging socio-economic environments and increasingly commercially orientated health systems.

This book will appeal in particular to students, researchers and practitioners working across the fields of mental health, medical anthropology, social work, and health and development studies.

Janaka Jayawickrama is Professor of Social Anthropology and Director - Research Centre for Health and Wellbeing at Shanghai University, China. Trained in India, the USA, and UK, he has conducted research and educational activities in many crisis-affected regions in Asia, Africa, and West Asia (Middle East). Janaka is mostly known for his work on concepts of care, health, and wellbeing related to disasters, conflicts, and uneven development. His work on wellbeing, inclusivity, and the need for harmonious relationship with nature has appeared in many anthologies.

Jerome Wright is Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences, University of York, UK. Over the last two decades Jerome has led a number of research and community health projects in Africa and South Asia, examining the integration of mental health care into primary care and non-communicable disease programmes, and working to develop participative approaches to such initiatives. He continues to collaborate with researchers and international NGOs on mental health and wellbeing initiatives across Africa, the Middle-East and South Asia.