Behinderung und internationale Entwicklung Journal for Disability and International Development

C/o Bezev, Wandastr. 9, 45136 Essen, Germany

For this specific issue please contact the coordinating editor Mirella.Schwinge@univie.ac.at

2012-2 CALL FOR PAPERS

MENTAL HEALTH & DISABILITY IN DEVELOPMENT

Whilst psycho-social interventions in response to psycho-traumata and PTSD in the aftermath of disasters are not new and well documented, the wider field of mental health & disability in development has only recently been paid more attention to. Global level interventions and publications on mental health & development and especially those on mental health & disability in development are all fairly recent, such as the Global Mental Health Series by the Lancet Mental Health Group (2007 & 2011), Mental Health and Development in the realm of WHOs Mental Health and Poverty Project (2010), and in part the WHO World Report on Disability (2011). Major international disability NGOs CBM and Handicap International released their mental health work policies and guidelines in 2008, 2010, and 2011. In the readings so far, basically 3 descriptions of disability-mental health conditions relations are found: 1) mental health conditions as cause of disability, 2) mental health conditions as equalling disability, and 3) disability as cause of mental health conditions. Depending on stakeholders and perspective, there is a wide variety of terms in use, and it can be viewed as an indicator for uncertainties and some tensions in the field, that this use is hugely inconsistent in vocabulary and meaning, partly even within one and the same organisation or publisher at any given time. One example is the inclusion and exclusion respectively of intellectual disabilities in mental health conditions/illnesses/disorders etc. Amongst further areas of tension and problems are societal power relations; insufficient budget allocations which are totally out of proportion compared to other health issues and measured against the scope of the problem; lack of human resources; and with exceptions continued marginalisation of persons with mental health conditions even within the disability community. The result is that whole populations and individuals are dramatically underserved and uncertainties in the field under-researched. We invite you to contribute to this exciting emerging field with articles on the following suggested sub-topics: Introduction on Mental Health, Disability & Development DSM ICF ICD Overview about the interrelations of these 3 (in theory and application); and current revision processes in terms of mental health and disability. Disability Studies point of view

Traditional Approaches Mental Health & Human Rights: Legislation Overview and country examples of mental health legislation AND disability legislation: Is relevant mental health legislation not yet existent, in the making, in place for many years; and is it influential, being applied, does it have any impact, may it even have been or still be mean of oppression? Here we also welcome contributions on Policy Frameworks and National Strategies. NGOs/DPOs Policies, programs, projects, and research inclusive of but not restricted to psycho-social interventions in response to psycho traumata & PTSD Furthermore, contributions on mental health conditions/disabilities linked to environmental destruction and climate change would be most welcome, although we realise that there may not yet be sufficient material for an extra article, thus this topic rather be addressed in other contributions as suggested above. Should you have other relevant sub-topics in mind, please contact us with your suggestions.

PLEASE NOTE: In any case, please explain/define the terms you are using AND clarify your understanding of the mental health-disability relations! General papers on mental health without explicit disability AND development links cannot be accepted. We refer to development as capturing issues around so-called developing countries/low-income countries and development cooperation. We urgently request, that you read the journals Information for Authors first (www.zbdw.de left column: Information for Authors) and then contact the coordinating editor for this issue. Submission: 21 April 2012, please in soft copy to mirella.schwinge@univie.ac.at Thank you very much. Yours sincerely and gladly expecting your contributions, the editorial board

The journal Behinderung und internationale Entwicklung - Disability and International Development is published three times a year since 1990, featuring contributions in both English and German. Its objective is the scholarly and practice-oriented discourse on disability in low-income countries. The journal aims at providing a platform for a cross-border dialogue and promoting the professional discussion of related development policy, pedagogical/educational, socio-political and intercultural questions. Each issue is dedicated to a focal topic, complemented by single contributions on other subjects and up-to-date information. www.zbdw.de