AE O'Donnell (PhD student)

Thesis title: Learning to challenge epistemic injustice: collective advocacy and mental health policy in Scotland

Biography

Background

My part-time PhD looks at informal education in the mental health survivor/service user movement in Scotland. I am particularly interested in how the survivor/service user movement challenges epistemic injustice by their engagement with mental health policy processes. 

I use authoethnography, community history archives and policy analysis. 

I have been involved in the mental health survivor/service user movement (also known as collective advocacy) in Scotland for over 25 years. I have been a member of collective advocacy groups, I’ve been on the board of two independent advocacy organisations and I have worked for CAPS Independent Advocacy from 2016-2022.

I was involved in the development and delivery of the world's first postgraduate degree in Mad Studies from 2019-2024 at Queen Margaret University where I was Lecturer in Mad Studies. 

Publications

O’Donnell, A and Maclean, K (2019). Reclaiming agency through Oor Mad History. in Gijbels, H., Sapouna, L., and Sidley,G. (eds.). (2019) Inside out and outside in: alternatives to mainstream mental health services, PCCS books

O’Donnell, A, Sapouna, L, and Brosnan, L. (2019). Storytelling: An Act of Resistance or a Commodity? In, Costa, L., and Voronka, J. (eds.). (2019). Introduction: Disordering social inclusion: Ethics, critiques, collaborations, futurities. (Special Issue VI) Journal of ethics in mental health. Open Vol. 10. Retrievable from: https://jemh.ca/issues/v9/documents/JEMH%20Inclusion%20ix.pdf

Sapouna, L., & O’Donnell, A. (2017). ‘Madness’ and activism in Ireland and Scotland, a dialogue. Community Development Journal, 52(3), 524-534.

O’Donnell, A. and Shaw, M. (2016) Resilience and Resistance on the Road to Recovery in Mental Health, Concept 7(1)

O’Donnell, A. (2010). 'Oor Mad History: Community history as a way of revitalising mental health collective advocacy' in Emejulu, A & Shaw, M 2010, Community Empowerment: Critical Perspectives from Scotland. Community Development Journal, vol. Glasgow Papers, Oxford University Press.

Research interests: Mental health survivor/service user activism; Mad Studies; Community Education; Community Development; Independent Collective Advocacy; Epistemic Injustice; Social Movement Learning; Critical Pedadogy; Disability Studies; Scottish mental health policy; community history

Qualifications

University of Edinburgh         (2006-07)    M.Sc. Community Education - Distinction

Responsibilities & affiliations

Member of Editorial Board for Concept: The Journal of Contemporary Community Education Practice Theory

Registered member of the Community Learning Development Standards Council Scotland

Undergraduate teaching

MA Learning in Communities Programme:

Community Learning 1: Building Professional Identity (EDUA07004)

Community Based Research 1 (EDUA07007)

Honours Seminar in Social and Educational Theory (EDUA10124)

Conference details

25 and 26 Sept 2023 “You think too much, that’s your problem” at Madpeople’s Coping Mechanisms, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford

25 May 2023 ‘Does Mad Studies Belong In The University?’ Festival of Learning, Queen Margaret University

22 May 2023 at ‘Oor Mad History’ at Activating the Archives: Prisons, Abolition and Histories of Resistance, The Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, University of Glasgow

27 May 2022, Speaker: ‘Mad Studies: Provoking Dialogue’ ASSAM Interdisciplinary Conference: Social Justice and Civil Society, Queen Margaret University

1 October 2021 Speaker: ‘Oor Mad History: a community history of collective advocacy’ Centre for Social Justice Conference, Queen Margaret University

18 Nov 2019 Keynote: ‘Learning Through and From Survivor Activism’ at Critical Voices Network Ireland annual conference, Cork, Republic of Ireland

30 March 2019  Speaker: ‘Hopes and Challenges: Adult Learning and Teaching in 2019’: City of Edinburgh Council Community and Learning Development - Adult Learning Tutor Training Day

20 Feb 2019 Keynote: ‘Mental health challenges for Community Learning and Development workers’ at ‘Learn Well, Live Well, Be Well: the CLD approach’ - South East and Central Community Learning and Development Workforce Development Consortium

12 Oct 2018 Speaker: Recovery in the Bin Building alliances: Mental health activism and the academy - Birkbeck, University of London

22 Sept 2017  Speaker: ‘Community Engagement: What's the problem?’ co- presented with Neil Saddington at the launch of ‘Community Engagement: A Critical Guide for Practitioners’, Concept

24 June 2016  Panel member: PEN Popular Education Network conference, University of Edinburgh

1 Sept 2015 Keynote: ‘Has Recovery Been Co-opted?’ Recovery in the Bin, Making Sense of Mad Studies, University of Durham

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