Queen Mary University of London will host a conference (8 June 2019) that will bring together OCD sufferers, charities, artists, and psychotherapists with scholars from different disciplines who research Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The aim of the conference is not only to explore how different meanings about OCD are produced and circulated, but also how they get regulated in society. Hence, the conference will emphasize the use of qualitative methods in researching OCD. As a consequence, we will have academics presenting their research, a roundtable to discuss issues surrounding strategies of prevention and to raise awareness, a workshop about cognitive-behavioral therapy, and exposed artwork and performances.

Confirmed keynote speaker: 

• Dr Olivia Knapton (King’s College London)

Confirmed roundtable speakers:

• Olivia Bamber (OCD Action)
• Stuart Ralph (The OCD Stories)
• Catherine Benfield (OCD advocate)

Confirmed workshop therapist:

• Dr Jan van Niekerk (therapist)

• The Secret Illness (platform for artistic work related to OCD)

The conference will have a panel for 4-6 academics from the humanities and social sciences who use qualitative / discourse-based approaches in their study of OCD to present their work (15-20min + 10min Q&A). Please take a look at the attached PDF for more information on the range of topics that we are looking for and visit the webpage https://ocdinsociety.wixsite.com/home. The deadline for abstracts (300 words without references) is 24th March 2019.