Making space for embedded knowledge in global mental health: a role for social work

Orr, David and Jain, Sumeet (2015) Making space for embedded knowledge in global mental health: a role for social work. European Journal of Social Work, 18 (4). pp. 569-582. ISSN 1369-1457

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Abstract

The ‘Global Mental Health’ (GMH) movement, an influential driver of transnational knowledge transfer in the field of mental health, advocates evidence-based strategies to ‘scale up’ services in low- and middle-income countries. As with debates on global and local frameworks for social work, there are concerns about marginalisation of knowledge that does not neatly fit the GMH discourse. This article analyses the professional and disciplinary structures that shape knowledge transfer in GMH and the implications for social work's engagement with the movement. Analysis of key documents and secondary literature identifies three key issues for GMH: its potentially negative impact on ‘local’ knowledge production; the challenges of accounting for culture and context; and the selective forms of evidence that are ‘allowed’ to contribute to GMH. Finding ways to encompass more ‘situated’ perspectives could reshape GMH in accord with its aspirations for participation by a wider range of stakeholders. Social work's values-based commitment to rights and empowerment, emphasis on embedded knowledge emerging from close links with practice, and theoretical engagement with social, cultural and political context, enable the profession to contribute significantly to this task. Such engagement would bring improvements in care for those suffering from mental health disorders, their families and communities.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: Global Mental Health, knowledge transfer, international social work, indigenisation, global social work
Schools and Departments: School of Education and Social Work > Social Work and Social Care
Subjects: H Social Sciences
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV0544.5 International social work
R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine > RA0790 Mental health. Mental illness prevention
Depositing User: Pascale Fanning-Tichborne
Date Deposited: 20 Oct 2014 13:27
Last Modified: 06 Mar 2017 23:29
URI: http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/50669

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