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Silent Voices, Hidden Knowledge: Ecological Thinking and the Role of Mental Health Advocacy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2016

ANDREW MOLAS
ANDREW MOLAS*
Affiliation:
York University
*
*<[email protected]>
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Abstract

In Ecological Thinking, Lorraine Code argues that advocacy “often makes knowledge possible” and without it “certain kinds of knowing are impossible.” By acknowledging the value of subjectivity and testimony in knowledge creation, I argue that ecological thinking serves as an appropriate framework for engagement with individuals who are living with mental illnesses. Contrasted with the dominant Anglo-American epistemologies that involve excessive degrees of mastery and control (with the tendency to silence the voices of Others), I argue that ecological thinking facilitates healthy advocacy practices precisely because of its inclusivity and receptivity towards different perspectives in knowledge creation.

Dans Ecological Thinking, Lorraine Code affirme que le plaidoyer en faveur d’une cause «rend souvent possible la connaissance» et que, sans lui, «certains types de savoir sont impossibles». En reconnaissant la valeur de la subjectivité et du témoignage dans la création de connaissances, je soutiens que la pensée écologique offre un cadre approprié pour un engagement auprès des individus souffrant de maladies mentales. En contraste avec les épistémologies anglo-américaines dominantes, qui impliquent des degrés excessifs de maîtrise et de contrôle (ainsi que la tendance à faire taire les voix des Autres), je soutiens que la pensée écologique facilite les bonnes pratiques du plaidoyer, en raison précisément de son caractère inclusif et de sa réceptivité envers différents points de vue dans la création de connaissances.

Type
Articles
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Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review / Revue canadienne de philosophie , Volume 55 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 87 - 105
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Copyright © Canadian Philosophical Association 2016 

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