Institute for Philosophy, Diversity and Mental Health

The Institute of Philosophy, Diversity and Mental Health is:
• research-led, drawing particularly on the resources of philosophy;
• practically-focused, contributing to policy, models of service delivery and support systems that accommodate the full diversity both of individuals and of communities; and
• international in scope, developing its work in partnerships within a wide international network of researchers, service users and practitioners, representing different philosophical traditions and ways of understanding mental health, illness and recovery.

Why Philosophy?
More so than any other area of healthcare, mental health raises conceptual as well as empirical difficulties. The role of values in diagnosis, the validity or objectivity of taxonomy, the central relationship of mind and brain, reasons as well as causes, are all key issues underpinning healthcare calling for conceptual as well as empirical clarification. Philosophy offers tools to provide conceptual clarification of key issues in mental healthcare. Philosophical approaches to mind and meaning, values and ethics, science and knowledge will inform research into the nature of mental health and illness, mental health care, and the central roles and experiences of service users.

Still time to apply for the MA in Philosophy and Mental Health 2010/11 intake  - courses start October and January.

Why Diversity?
Global developments of mass migration, economic change and new information technologies have focused attention on the importance of respect for diversity setting an urgent agenda for policy development in mental health-care practice. Diversity is thus at the very heart of the Institute which sees the richness of diversity as a resource for change in mental health and social care. This involves positive engagement with the diversity of individual experiences across different age ranges cultures and other groupings.

Why International?
Historically, one of the main barriers to developing services that are genuinely responsive to the diversity of user experience has been the dominance of one or another particular model of mental health care and mental health recovery. The Institute has a rich international network of partners among service users, researchers and policy-makers, as the basis of pursuing its work.

The Institute delivers a number of high quality teaching programmes focused on central issues of mental healthcare at a range of different levels taught by experts from a range of different backgrounds.

The flagship programme is the PG Certificate, PG Diploma and Masters degree in Philosophy and Mental Health, based on the Oxford Textbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry co-authored by members of the Institute.

Other courses include the University Certificate in Third Sector Commissioning; the University Certificate in the Mental Health Act 2007 and Values Based Practice and the University Certificate in Critical Approaches to Diversity, Spirituality and Mental Health.

For more information about our courses please click on the links below:

Critical Approaches to Diversity, Spirituality and Mental Health  

Mental Health Act 2007 and Values Based Practice

Philosophy and Mental Health  

Third Sector Commissioning