Contact

r.brunner.1@research.gla.ac.uk

Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research
Room 204
Adam Smith Building
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8RT

Research Interests

• Social perspectives of mental distress
• Social models of disability
• The capabilities approach
• Identity, diversity and social inclusion

Topic

An exploration of how the capabilities approach may enhance understanding of lived experiences of mental distress

Abstract

Mental distress is commonly understood as an epidemiological issue, with resultant economic and social justice impacts. People with mental distress face the highest levels of non-employment (Scottish Executive 2004). Paradoxically, social inclusion policy towards this group is hugely premised on employment (Rankin 2005: 51-4). However, Scottish Government mental health policy encompasses more complexity: ‘Some people who experience mental illness may have a good quality of life and experience good mental wellbeing’ (2009: 5). This mirrors a shift towards research methodologies which take into account personal and social contexts in understanding mental distress (Tew et al 2006: 12). This proposal aims to explore lived experiences of mental distress, not in clinical terms but in personal and social terms, through the application of the capabilities approach (Sen: 1999), as interpreted by Nussbaum (2007), to a sample of people in Scotland. The proposal is inherently interdisciplinary, engaging with a theory originating in welfare economics, a health topic, and findings that may impact on social policy. This study aims to shed new light on the capabilities approach, lived experiences of mental distress, prevailing social perspectives of mental distress, and on social inclusion policies.

Supervisors

Professor Nicholas Watson & Professor Kirsten Stalker (University of Strathclyde) 

Sponsor/Funder

ESRC Doctoral Training Centre Studentship (Health pathway)

Biography

Richard Brunner came to the University of Glasgow to start his full-time PhD in October 2011. Prior to this, Richard spent three years as Research Fellow in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde. Social research is the third stage of his career. Stage one included supporting homeless people, mental health advocacy, and democratic work with tenants on inner city housing estates. Stage two involved social policy analysis in the voluntary and statutory sectors, including for the Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland. Stage three has included a range of equality and diversity-focused research, firstly outwith universities, and then at the University of Strathclyde.

Academic journals

• Cassidy, C, BRUNNER, R, Webster, E. (in press) Teaching human rights?  ‘All hell will break loose!’ Education, Citizenship and Social Justice.
• Stalker K, BRUNNER R, Maguire R and Mitchell J (2011) Tackling the barriers to disabled parents’ involvement in their children’s education. Educational Review. 63: 2, 233 – 250.

Research reports

• Anam, S., BRUNNER, R., Din, A.., Hunter, K., Javaid, A., Mehmood, O., Raif, Z., Raza, L., Sadiq, R., Sattar, A. (2012) BME youth unemployment: a fresh perspective. Glasgow: Active Life Club.
• Wilson A, BRUNNER R, Seagraves L (2010) Narrowing the achievement gap: what and how schools learn through involvement in the Specialist Schools Achievement Programme, Phase two report. London: Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.
• Finlay I, BRUNNER R, Seagraves L (2010) Narrowing the achievement gap: what and how schools learn through involvement in the Specialist Schools Achievement Programme, Phase one report. London: Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.
• BRUNNER R (2010) A Baseline study of domestic abuse prevention activities in seven local authorities in Scotland. Scotland: National Children and Young People’s Prevention Network/Scottish Government
• BRUNNER R, Maguire R, Stalker K, Mitchell J (2009) Disabled parents’ involvement in their children’s education: guidance for schools. Reading: CfBT Education Trust.
• Maguire R, BRUNNER R, Stalker K, Mitchell J (2009) Disabled parents’ involvement in their children’s education: Research Report; Information for Parents; Accessible Summary; Audio cd (total four publications). Reading: CfBT Education Trust.
• BRUNNER R (2007) Exploring disability disclosure amongst college and university staff in Scotland (full report and summary report). Stirling: Equality Forward.
• BRUNNER R, Novotny V, Zakaria P (2008) Assessment of students’ additional support needs: baseline study of the current structures. Edinburgh: Scottish Funding Council.
• BRUNNER R and Simpson S (2005) Evolving practice and developing policy. Glasgow: Atlas Partnership.
• BRUNNER R (2005) Asylum matters for Scotland. Glasgow: Atlas Partnership.

Book chapters

• Policy Context, chapter 8 in Mollard C (2003) Why It’s Worth It: Inclusive Education in Scotland - a parents’ perspective. Edinburgh: SHS Trust.

Government reports

• School Years, Chapter 2 in Changing Childhoods? (2006) The same as you? National Implementation Group: Report of the children's sub group. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive (chapter research and chapter drafter).
• Working for a Change? (2003) The same as you? National Implementation Group: Report of the short-life working group on employment. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive (report research and report drafter).

Conference papers

• How might the capabilities approach enhance the social understanding of mental distress? A critique and development of existing models, Institute of Health and Well-being Student Conference, 26 Nov 2012, University of Glasgow.
• How might the capability approach enhance understanding of lived experiences of mental distress? A review of literature, Disability Studies Conference 11-13 Sep 2012, University of Lancaster.
• Disabled parents’ involvement in their children’s education: implications for policy and for models of mental distress, Social Policy Association Annual Conference, 5 July 2010, University of Lincoln.
• Methodologies for studying the well-being of minority ethnic groups in Scotland, British Sociological Association Annual Conference, 9 April 2010 (with Emejulu A and Hunter K).
• Disabled parents’ involvement in their children’s education: preliminary mental health findings, Scottish Education Research Association Annual Conference, 27 November 2009, Perth.
• Exploring disability disclosure amongst college and university staff in Scotland: developmental findings, Social Policy Association Annual Conference, 23 July 2007, University of Birmingham.

University of Glasgow

Department of Sociology

• Tutor, Level 2 Sociology 2011-12. Modules: Encountering Modernity; Interrogating Modernity. Two one-hour tutorials per week (total 28 hours). Grading essays.
• Tutor, Level 2 Sociology 2012-13. Modules: Global Perspectives; Inequalities and Identities. Three one-hour tutorials per week (total 42 hours). Grading essays.
• Tutor, Honours class, Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences, 2012-13, two tutorials for two classes (total 4 hours).

Department of Urban Studies

• Lecturer, Public Policy, Level 2 undergraduate course: three lectures on disability and ideology, Semester one, 2012-13. Grading exam papers.
• Lecturer, Public Policy, Level 1 undergraduate course: two lectures on concepts of disability, Semester two, 2012-13.

University of Strathclyde

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

• Joint module leader, MSc in Educational Support, Health & Wellbeing: Policy, Practice and Pedagogy module, April-June 2013, contributing two workshops on disability and mental health (total 6 hours), joint summative assessment.
• B. Ed, year 2, Nov 2010, one tutorial: ‘S.E.N and A.S.N – what’s the difference?’ (total 2 hours).