Institutional Racism in Mental Health Systems

Celebrating Black History Month and World Mental Health Day, the Sociology programme presents an 'Engaging Sociology' event on 10th October 2018.

Suman Fernando talks about the deep roots of racism in the mental health system, drawing on histories of racial discourse and clinical practice, analys-ing power, knowledge, and black suffering in an ostensibly progressive and scientifically grounded system. Drawing on a lifetime of experience as a practicing psychiatrist, he exam-ines how the system has shifted in re-sponse to new forms of racism which have emerged since the 1960s, high-lighting the widespread pathologiza-tion of black people, the impact of Is-lamophobia on clinical practice after 9/11, and various struggles to reform.

About the speaker

Suman Fernando, Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at London Metropolitan University, UK.