Dear All,
A reminder that Lynne Friedli will be giving her talk to the London Community Psychology Network on Tuesday evening. We're really looking forward to it and to seeing you all there!
Dr Lynne Friedli - Tues 6th Oct, 6.30-8pm
Lynne will be talking about the role of psychology in welfare reforms and the workfare programme, as well as her broader interest in mental health and social inequalities.
PLEASE NOTE THE VENUE CHANGE:
Chadwell Healthy Living Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Harrison Street, London WC1H 8JE
For map: https://goo.gl/maps/ndNZHZvUkGk
Nearest tubes: Kings Cross and Russell Square
(Apologies: Due to change in room availability, the talk is now at the above address and NOT at UCL, please could you share the update amongst friends and networks as we don’t want anyone going to the wrong venue!).
As we have to pay for this room, we would really appreciate donations from those who can, thank you! *Suggested donation £3
Biography
Dr Lynne Friedli is a freelance researcher with a special interest in the relationship between mental health and the struggle for social justice. She is author of a report for World Health Organisation Europe on mental health, resilience and inequality and has contributed to the forthcoming WHO Europe Strategy on Mental Health. http://www.euro.who.int/document/e92227.pdf
Lynne is interested in current debates about the politics of ‘assets based approaches’ and the psychologising of public health, and is currently researching the use of psychological approaches in workfare and other employment programmes.
Here is an abstract from a similar recent talk by Lynne. Expect similar themes in her talk to us:
I am concerned with the growing influence of psychology and the role of psycho-policy in formulating and gaining consent for the current regime of welfare reform, notably in the roll out of the Department for Work and Pensions Workfare programme. What emerges is the construction of a psychological ideal that embodies the norms and values of privilege and wealth in neo-liberal Britain, (notably possession of relentlessly positive affect), and labels dissent or deviation from this model both maladaptive and unhealthy.
The ostensibly scientific model that validates certain attributes: ‘the right kind of affect’ serves to legitimize the imposition of compulsory positive affect through a wide range of coercive and punitive health and welfare interventions targeting deprived communities.
Preferring psycho-analysis to economic analysis has serious consequences for how we explain and respond to issues of social justice. It also has a specific impact on people claiming unemployment related social security. ‘Employability’ is now less a set of skills than a mindset, enforced through psycho-compulsions (mandatory training, psychological referral, psychometric testing, psycho-sanctioning e.g. for ‘lack of motivation’) that form a central plank in the management and governance of a wide range of ‘unproductive’ or failing citizens i.e. those who are out of work, not working enough, not earning enough and/or failing to seek work with sufficient application.
The participation of psychology, aided and abetted by public health, in the delivery of coercive goals clearly raises ethical questions – questions largely unasked and hence unanswered, in the research literature. I very much welcome this opportunity for discussion and debate about the impact of psychological coercion through workfare, the role of psychology in stigmatising the behaviour and existence of poor citizens and the issues of complicity that this whole agenda raises.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09581596.2012.748882
http://centreformedicalhumanities.org/whistle-while-you-work-for-nothing-positive-affect-as-coercive-strategy-the-case-of-workfare/
Agree or disagree with Lynne? Come and join the discussion!
See also CP ning as always for details of this talk and other events. http://communitypsychologyuk.ning.com/
See you soon!
Tamsin and Sally
--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Let's bring society into psychology: Please join http://communitypsychologyuk.ning.com/
Psychologists Against Austerity campaigner: https://psychagainstausterity.wordpress.com/
___________________________________
The list is jointly managed by David Fryer [log in to unmask] and Grant Jeffrey [log in to unmask], either of whom are able to deal with queries.
To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK
|