The paper presents a critical review of core social and psychological determinants of mental health from a life-course perspective which operate at micro (individual) and macro (societal–structural) levels in the context of globalisation using the World Health Organization–Commission on Social Determinants of Health conceptual framework. It analyses how globalisation-induced changes implicate social and psychological variables that impact upon inequities in mental health and well-being. Mental health outcomes relating to four core determinants—deepening poverty and inequalities, migrations, rapid and uncontrollable socio-cultural value change and identity diffusion—are focused on. The overall evidence shows that these core determinants have pernicious effects on mental health and well-being often leading to common mental disorders (CMDs). Mental health protection and promotion efforts necessitate multisectoral, holistic, culturally responsible actions that equip people and communities to cope better with stressors created by the globalised world.
Drawing on social constructionist and post-structuralist theoretical frameworks, this study examined the complexities that constitute women’s narratives within a mining organisation in South Africa. With specific reference to the social constructs of identity, conflict and power, the aims of this study were to investigate how women narrate their experience, the ways in which women live with the tensions of a workplace that is potentially both liberating and limiting and the implications of these tensions for women’s well-being, identities and social roles. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine women in management positions and were analysed using an inductive emergent thematic analytical method. The nature of identity that emerged from the participants’ narratives was viewed as an act of weaving together the multiple strands of the self, where participants recognised the points at which these multiple strands intercept and where they diverge. At each point of interception and divergence there were expressions of ambiguous identity or identity salience. Identity was seen to be mediated by the micro-physics of power and, within this framework, participants were seen to be agents in negotiating an authentic and egalitarian self, and a space for women in mining.
Psychologists have a societal responsibility for promoting human rights and preventing human rights violations. In 2013 a Board Human Rights and Psychology was established by the European Federation of Psychologists Associations (EFPA), in order to raise awareness of the importance of human rights for psychologists, and of psychology for human rights. In the first section a brief history of human rights is described. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related conventions, as the most widely accepted standards for human rights today, are taken as the starting point. The second section shows how the principles of human rights are in tune with the ethical codes of conduct of psychological associations, and a plea is made for the explicit inclusion of human rights in these codes. The third section presents a social-behavioural science perspective on human rights anchored in the Capabilities Approach of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. The fourth section describes the involvement of psychologists in a human rights based-and-oriented psychology, through research and practice, but particularly through concrete actions. The final section emphasizes the importance of human rights education for psychologists.