Journey to the Centre of the Self Exploring the Lived Experiences of South Asian Psychiatrists in the UK

This book presents previously untold narratives of South Asian psychiatrists in the UK and provides insight into the significance of cultural identity, migration and marginalisation on their lives and work. The development of cultural psychiatry arose to meet the needs of multiethnic populations. A hitherto overlooked area in the field is the impact of white privilege on psychiatrists from ethnic minority backgrounds. Through the lived experience of South Asian psychiatrists, this pioneering book delves into the effects of structural marginalisation, the culturally specific needs of South Asian populations and the impact of migration across generations. Personal accounts impart the importance of recognising the cultural hybridity of ethnic identities and how to work within cultural frameworks. Set in the UK context, findings can be applied more widely to other diaspora settings, and are critical in understanding contemporary insights into cultural psychiatry and diverse cultural environments.

Acknowledgements; Part I. Contextual Information: Introduction; 1. Culture and psychiatry; 2. An overview of South Asian migration to the UK; 3. An overview of the interviews; 4. Capturing the lived experience; 5. The primacy of the lived experience as the route to change; Part II. The interviews: Dr Cheema; Dr P. Jauhar; Dr Yousaf; Dr A; Dr Chada; Dr Sivakumar; Dr Baruah; Dr Sami; Dr Davé; Dr S. Jauhar; Dr Mohiuddin; Dr Kaushal; Dr Giri Shankar; Part III. Analysis: 6. Negotiating cultural differences; 7. The therapeutic relationship; 8. Ways forward; Conclusions and recommendations; References.

Rina Arya is Professor of Critical and Cultural Theory at the University of Hull. She has written widely on topics in culture and the arts. Her monograph Francis Bacon: Painting in a Godless World (2012) was longlisted for the W. M. Berger Art History prize in 2013. She is currently working on an extended project about cultural appropriation.
Dinesh Bhugra is Emeritus Professor of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. He was President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, World Psychiatric Association and British Medical Association. In 2012 he was awarded a CBE for services to psychiatry.