Discrimination within mental health care based on structural systems of discrimination, such as ableism, racism, (hetero)sexism, classism and ageism, is a barrier to social and health care justice and, thus, constitutes a pressing ethical, legal and social concern. Intersectionality has emerged as a paradigm to analyse structures of discrimination which centres the simultaneity, complexity, interdependency, and co-constitution of overlapping systems of discrimination. However, numerous challenges to intersectionality as both a theory and a practical tool remain to be solved.

The aim of this international summer school is to bring together early-career (PhDs and postdocs) and senior researchers from various disciplines to critically examine intersectionality as a tool to identify and prevent discrimination in mental health care.

There will be four workshops as part of the conference. The main topics are:

- Philosophy and theory of intersectionality

- Approaches to understanding and measuring discrimination

- A human rights perspective on intersectionality

- Intersectionality as a praxis tool – strategies of anti-discrimination

Confirmed speakers:

Prof. Claudia Bernard: Professor of Social Work and Co-head of Department, Goldsmith University London

Prof. Dr. Theresia Degener: Professor of Law and Disability Studies, Protestant University of Applied Sciences, BODYS Bochum

Prof. Stephani Hatch: Professor of Sociology and Epidemiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London

Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Heinz: Clinical Director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin.

Dr. Katharine Jenkins: Lecturer in Social Philosophy, University of Glasgow

Dr. Amma Yeboah: Psychodynamic supervisor and coach, researcher and psychiatrist

Further information:

Participants with a background in medicine, health science, philosophy, nursing science, sociology, legal studies, social work, disability studies, gender studies, critical race studies, medical ethics or psychology, preferably from Germany and the UK, are invited to present their research at the workshop.

Applicants are asked to send an abstract in English on any of the subtopics (300 – 400 words) along with a short CV to mirjam.faissner@rub.de by 15 March, 2022.

Accepted participants will give a presentation of 25 minutes, followed by a 30-minute discussion. The conference language is English. All participants are invited to prepare a manuscript and submit it for publication in a special issue. Furthermore, all participants are invited to participate in a jointly written policy paper.

The international Summer School will take place at the Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum (Alexandrinenstraße 1-3, 44791 Bochum) from 5 – 9 September, 2022, and is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Reimbursement:

Travel expenses and costs for accommodation will be reimbursed. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is included. Participants will receive a remuneration of € 300 for preparing a manuscript that is ready for submission to the special issue.

Organisers:

Mirjam Faissner, Jakov Gather, Georg Juckel