Hi Penny,
Well spotted re. my 'committed ambivalence' To be more precise . . .
I was directly suggesting to Emma that the text for critical discourse analysis by the mental health expressive arts group with which she is working (for which she was searching via the list) might have been inadvertently found by Jan. Critical discourse analysis of new Horizons by the mental health expressive arts group could happen independently of what happens on the list or whether or not any cda of New Horizons happens on the list or anywhere else (see below).
However I was also indirectly suggesting by posting on the list instead of directly to Emma that others in the UK CP network might be interested in a critical analysis of New Horizons maybe in parallel to Emma's group's analysis. If critical analysis of New Horizons by UKCP Network were happening at the same time as that by Emma's group, each could potentially inform the other and so also support Emma.
I am not sure the list is the best place for UK CP Network critical analysis of New Horizons however. Some list members may not be interested, it gets hard to track posts etc. I am wondering if the Hub which Grant set up but is largely unused may be a better e-space for this critical analysis to occur. It is open to all and is better designed to enable this sort of task (I think). Elaine Douglas and I have been thinking for some time that the Hub would be a good place for a 'community critical text group' to e-meet (we did not assume books would be the best texts to discuss). I do not know how such a critical text analysis process could be facilitated technically and in other ways. Elaine and Grant may be able to help here.
If I seem to be tip toeing through minefields it is because before I left for my current job in Australia I was Emma's principal PhD supervisor and after I left I was replaced by someone else. I do not wish to make things hard for Emma or the other supervisor by offering conflicting PhD advice and direction but I also have a huge continuing commitment to the mental health expressive arts group with which Emma is working (and which many on this list will know) and do want them to have opportunities for progressive radical group development.
David
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Penny Priest
Sent: Wednesday, 29 July 2009 5:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: New Horizons - a text for critical discourse analysis?
Hi David
Just wanted to check, are you inviting/asking Emma to get a critical
deconstruction underway, which this list might then submit as part of the
consultation? I think it would be great to submit something from this
list. Does there need to be a plan?
Penny
> Thanks Jan and good timing for you Emma? You asked for a "good news
> article on mental health issues which with the group we can un-pack
> employing discourse analysis. I hope to see how the medical model filters
> through to everything. I want to use an everyday kind of article to get
> the
> initial discussion going?"
>
> This Dept of Health document (New Horizons) is sent out as part of a
> public consultation exercise "on a new vision for mental health and
> wellbeing
> to help develop the promotion of mental health and well-being across the
> population, improve the quality and accessibility of services, and to
> enable SHAs to deliver their regional visions, in a way that reflects the
> changed nature of the NHS"
>
> It is not a newspaper article but it is everyday psy-paganda and the
> proposed circulation list includes "organisations of services users".
>
> The whole report is long but the exec summary is shorter.
>
> It seems to me ideal for critical deconstruction and there is the bonus
> that the results of that deconstruction could if the group wanted be
> submitted as part of the public consultation. (Idealists amongst us might
> even think it would be heeded and contribute to policy).
>
> This seems to me a productive text for critical processing. The
> document pretty well starts with a statement of "our vision" which
> begins:
>
> "In 2020 most adults will understand the importance of mental well-being
> to their full and productive functioning in society, to their physical
> health, and to their ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. They will
> also understand some of the factors that affect their mental well-being,
> and will have developed their own everyday ways for taking care of it."
>
>
> It would take time and energy to properly critically process this but in
> the first few lines I suggest we can start to see the discursive strategy
> being deployed:
> * to discursively position 'mental well-being' as important because
> necessary for labour market productivity (aka 'full and productive
> functioning in society'
> * to position ill-health as the result of lack of ability to make
> lifestyle choices (rather than for example of inequality, poverty, toxic
> social environments, disabling practices etc)
> * to position inability to make healthy lifestyle choices as
> symptomatic of mental ill-being (i.e. to need treatment . . .CBT (Choice
> behaviour Therapy?)
> * to position the individual as responsible for taking care of their
> mental well-being (and thereby to position the individual as responsible
> for their mental ill-being if they dont i.e. to victim blame)
> * the '2020 vision' as a totalising achievement of discursive dominance
> and subjugation of counter discourses through a further tightening of the
> psy-complexification screw
> Further critical processing would introduce
> modify some readings, introduce new ones etc. and I am sure the Scottish
> mental health expressive arts group members you have the privilege to
> learn from would articulate fascinating radical critical readings of this
> document (as would others)
>
> David
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jan Bostock <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Wednesday, 29 July, 2009 6:14:27
> Subject: FW: New Horizons - consultation launched
>
>
>
>
>
>>Subject: New Horizons - consultation launched
>>
>>The New Horizons consultation document from the Dept of Health has just
>> been launched for consultation and feedback. Responses by 15th October.
>> It is an important statement of the government's positions and intentions
>> for mental health services and prevention.
>>
>> http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Mentalhealth/NewHorizons/index.htm
>>
>>Best wishes
>>
>>Jan Bostock
>>
>>
>>
>> ___________________________________ This discussion list for Community
>> Psychology has a new website at: http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/
>> To post on the website blog, contact Grant or David at the email
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>
>
>
>
> ___________________________________
> This discussion list for Community Psychology has a new website at:
> http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/
> To post on the website blog, contact Grant or David at the email addresses
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> To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list,
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This discussion list for Community Psychology has a new website at: http://www.communitypsychology.co.uk/
To post on the website blog, contact Grant or David at the email addresses below.
To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website:
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