Global Mental Health: Youth, Systems, and the Politics of Care

Mental illness is the leading cause of disability and suicide is a top cause of death among young people worldwide, yet how societies understand, organize, and respond to youth mental health varies profoundly across cultures, histories, and systems of power. This seminar examines global youth mental health through three intersecting lenses: the cultural and historical forces that shape what mental health means; the systems (clinical, community, digital, and policy) through which care is delivered or withheld; and the political questions of who designs those systems, whose knowledge counts, and who bears the cost when they fail. Drawing on case studies from Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and beyond, students will engage with live debates in global mental health research, implementation, and policy.