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The Palgrave Handbook of Sociocultural Perspectives on Global Mental Health pp 1–27Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Situating Global Mental Health: Sociocultural Perspectives

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Abstract

This introductory chapter of The Palgrave Handbook of Sociocultural Perspectives on Global Mental Health highlights how understanding about aberrant behaviours has varied across time, geography and culture. Important developments that contributed to the emergence of Global Mental Health are discussed. Rather than a monolithic enterprise, Global Mental Health is presented as a heterogeneous range of practice- and research-based activities concerned with reducing inequities in mental health service provision that has particularly focused on low- and middle-income countries. The chapter summarises debates that have arisen about the relative contribution that particular epistemic frames and research paradigms have made to the development of Global Mental Health. Sociocultural factors are identified as an important, but often neglected, area of Global Mental Health enquiry. The chapter concludes by providing an overview of the three parts of the handbook (1. Mental Health Across The Globe: Conceptual Perspectives From Social Science and the Humanities; 2. Globalising Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities, 3. Case Studies of Innovative Practice and Policy) and highlights key themes and topics that are covered.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Readers interested in learning more about the historical context of the emergence of Global Mental Health should consult Bemme and D’Souza (2014), Lovell (2014), and Lovell and Susser (2014).

  2. 2.

    The term ‘allopathy’ was introduced by German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755–1843) when he conjoined the Greek words ‘allos’ (opposite) and ‘pathos’ (suffering). It is defined as the treatment of disease by conventional means (i.e. with drugs having effects opposite to the symptoms).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    Ross G. White

  2. Department of Social Work, Wellbeing & Social Care at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    David M. R. Orr

  3. CERMES3, Paris, France

    Ursula M. Read

  4. School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    Sumeet Jain

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  1. Ross G. White
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  2. David M. R. Orr
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  4. Sumeet Jain
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, Health and Society University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Ross G. White

  2. School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    Sumeet Jain

  3. Department of Social Work and Social Care, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

    David M.R. Orr

  4. CERMES3, Paris, France

    Ursula M. Read

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White, R.G., Orr, D.M.R., Read, U.M., Jain, S. (2017). Situating Global Mental Health: Sociocultural Perspectives. In: White, R., Jain, S., Orr, D., Read, U. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Sociocultural Perspectives on Global Mental Health. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-39510-8_1

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