Mainstream Health Psychology applies psychological theory and scientific methods to establish how individuals can change their behaviour to improve their health.
Critical health psychology adopts a much broader standpoint. Instead of focusing on individual behaviour, critical health psychologists address not only the psychological but also the social, political, and cultural influences on health and illness, especially for those most excluded in society.
We plan to host the 14th conference of the International Society for Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP) at the University of Galway in 2025. ISCHP pursues social justice in the topics we study and the methods we use, and strives to foster equity, transparency, and inclusion in the way we run the organisation and its events.
We cultivate an international and multicultural spirit of collaboration and cooperation – our conferences have been held in Africa, Europe, North and South America, and Australasia. This will be its first time in Ireland. Our theme will be “Contesting Borders” to challenge the borders between different fields of health research, to highlight health issues that divide communities, and to acknowledge the shared history of Ireland and so many other countries affected by health inequalities.
The intended audience goes beyond critical health psychologists to include researchers from other fields, healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and members of the public. We aim to share and discuss the latest critical health psychology research from early-career, established and citizen scholars.
We expect the conference to include over 150 presentations and the conference proceedings, an article collection, and presentation recordings will be published online for anyone to access afterwards.
Our current moment is shaped by war, cost of living crises, increasing gaps between rich and poor, divided communities, misinformation, and significant technological changes. This is the time where we need a health psychology that orientates to power, context, and inequality.