'The valuable contribution of this book is to present a critical and alternative perspective on 'global mental health', that moves beyond the simple listing of mental disorders and mapping the global burden of diseases, to acknowledge the growing importance of the political, economic and social determinants of mental health as well as the interplay between the social and the cultural with the biological dimensions of mental disorders.' - Duncan Pedersen, McGill University, Canada
'This scholarly but accessible book makes a thoughtful and useful contribution to the current debate about mental health around the world[.]' - Rachel Tribe, University of East London, UK
'This book is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand this complex issue. It is written in a calm, clear and accessible style, making the book suitable for specialists and lay people alike.' - David Ingleby, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Suman Fernando is Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at London Metropolitan University, UK. Before that he was Senior Lecturer at the European Centre for Migration and Social Care at the University of Kent, UK, and consultant psychiatrist in the National Health Service for over twenty years. He is active in non-governmental organizations in UK and abroad, as well as being consultant to capacity development programmes in Sri Lanka. He has written and lectured widely on mental health development. In 2011 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for Culture, Race and Mental Health by the University of Toronto, Canada.