ASYLUM is a big fan of Madlove. Madlove is a big idea. Genuine asylum, designed by people who have experienced the mental health system, is close to our hearts and roots. So, we are delighted to feature an update about this exciting project.
‘Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?’ asks Mark Schwalbe in his film review of the Joker. Whatever the result of the UK election, it feels like we are at a turning point in history.
At the heart of this issue is a special feature on Whittingham Lives, a two year arts and heritage project that honours the histories of those who lived at the Whittingham Asylum in Preston.
Asylum magazine strives to link the politics of mental health to broader progressive political struggles, social movements and campaigns. For example, Extinction Rebellion has been calling attention to the devastating impact of climate change. It has already had significant transformational impact, at least on public consciousness, not dissimilar to that of the #MeToo campaign in raising awareness of sexual violence.
Introduction
ASYLUM calls itself the radical mental health magazine. Being radical, or critical, may seem like a relatively straightforward project, but it isn’t always easy to define, or straightforward to put into practice.
Asylum, formerly the magazine for democratic psychiatry, was established in 1986 as a forum for free debate, open to anyone with an interest in psychiatry and mental health politics, practice and policy. We were inspired by the democratic psychiatry movement in Italy and continue to be influenced by radical mental health movements around the world, including the psychiatric survivor and Mad liberation movements. Read more
