Mental health in focus: ENPA conference starts in Münster!

Mental health in focus: ENPA conference starts in Münster!

The upcoming ENPA conference “Anthropologies and Psychologys in Inter/Action – Engaging Interdisciplinary Perspectives” will take place from June 11th to 13th, 2025 at the University of Münster Castle. This conference, like uni-muenster.de reports, expects around 150 participants from all over the world, including 50 from Münster, and will focus on mental health, education and upbringing.

The conference day begins with public keynotes, followed by panels and “labs” in the afternoon as well as evening discussions and film screenings. Students from Münster can take part free of charge, but registration is required. The conference language will be English.

Top-class keynote speakers

Among the keynote speakers will be Dr. Byron J. Good from Harvard Medical School will report on humanitarian assistance in post-disaster situations and his research after the 2004 Aceh tsunami. Other speakers are Prof. Dr. James Davies from the University of Roehampton, who deals with psychological healing in the neoliberal structured health system, and Prof. Dr. Charissa Chia from the University of Maryland, who focuses on the development and education of Asian American youth. The aim of the conference is to examine the interfaces between psychological anthropology and anthropological psychology and to promote the diversification and decolonization of research methods and curricula.

The conference is a joint project by Prof. Dr. Joscha Kärtner from the University of Münster and Thomas Stodulka from the Institute for Ethnology, both of whom believe in growing collaboration between disciplines.

Anthropology and psychology in focus

The anthropological and psychological topics will play an important role, as anthropology not only includes the definition of human beings, but also includes comprehensive concepts such as the tripartition, soul faculties and the psychology of the organs. These approaches are further investigated in anthroposophy-based psychotherapy (AbP), whereby the relationship between mental activities, body and experience is brought to the fore. Training offerings include basic courses and practical seminars offered annually, as well as monthly supervision groups to promote the development of specific therapeutic attitudes, as reported by anthropsych.de.

A central aspect of these discussions will also be the definition of health, which includes social and societal conditions. This becomes particularly relevant in the context of the current challenges in the field of mental health, which are being researched in the “transcultural psychiatry” working group at the Charité.

Transcultural Psychiatry and Global Challenges

The Charité's “Transcultural Psychiatry” working group deals with mental health and migration, particularly in relation to refugee migration. The research profile of this interdisciplinary working group ranges from the critical examination of social inequalities to the effects of racism and discrimination on mental health. It examines how social conditions influence mental health and what role this plays in the development of therapeutic approaches. Methodological approaches include qualitative interviews, exploratory field research and participatory approaches, thereby promoting broader participation, such as charite.de highlights.

The conference in Münster will therefore not only provide a forum for academic exchange, but also a space to shed light on current challenges and research questions in the field of mental health and migration. The close integration of anthropology and psychology promises to open up new perspectives on the treatment and correct approaches to supporting mental illnesses.