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Ancient Chinese painting of a procession with figures holding banners and an umbrella on a brown scroll background.

History and philosophy of mental health

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Chinese philosophy has long known that mental health is communal

The early Chinese philosophers knew that a healthy mind comes from a harmonious community, not a matter for individuals alone

by Alexus McLeod

Photo of a man walking and a child on a hoverboard near a pink house and a ‘Dead End’ sign on a suburban street.

Technology and media

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To be more tech-savvy, borrow these strategies from the Amish

With their focus on values and intentionality, the Amish offer a lesson in thinking critically about digital technology

by Alex Mayyasi

Photo of a woman in an orange shawl touching a decorative wall with colourful, intricate patterns and Islamic calligraphy.

Mental health across cultures

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Why a Sufi approach to healing mental illness is so powerful

In Sufi shrines, rituals offer sufferers a path beyond the fear and isolation of their mental distress

by Bhrigupati Singh

Black and white photo of a man in a top hat with a watering can seated, woman standing in period attire, vintage interior.

Play

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What TikTok videos have in common with Victorian parlour games

TikTok and Insta videos are the Victorian parlour games of today, allowing us to share in the emotional benefits of play

by Kim Beil & Ryan Tacata

Photo of people counting ballots at an election table, wearing yellow rosettes, with focus on a woman and a man in the foreground.

Values and beliefs

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To be a responsible citizen today, it is not enough to be reasonable

To survive society’s problems, today reasonableness isn’t enough; we need citizens to recognise beliefs have consequences

by Francisco Mejia Uribe

Photo of two people in a gritty urban street with peeling painted walls, graffiti and shoes hanging on a wire.

Cultural diversity

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Cultural differences are far more nuanced than East vs West

It’s simply not the case that ‘Eastern’ cultures are relationally-minded, while ‘Western’ societies are individualistic

by Matt Huston

Photo of a person with a backpack silhouetted against a white wall under trees, using a phone on a walkway.

Mental health

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How a feeling that you belong could protect your mental health

Research on young adults at a time of social transition highlights the significance of feeling that you belong to a group

by Janine M Dutcher & Amber Quinn

Photo of people clapping outside terraced houses decorated with flags and bunting, including Welsh flags and rainbow flags.

History of emotions

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True gratitude is a communal emotion, not a wellness practice

Positive psychology touts the personal benefits of gratitude. It’s actually a challenging emotion that binds communities

by Michal Zechariah

Photograph of a person lying on a floral sofa wearing jeans socks and an ankle monitor with a red cushion nearby.

Stigma and taboo

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The families of people who commit sex crimes need care and support

While they deal with a kind of grief, the relatives of those who harm others sexually are subject to blame and judgment

by Azadeh Nematy

Photo of a crowded street dinner with blue flags, people sitting at long tables amid warm lights in a historic setting.

Community

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Take a seat: the long table is an antidote to loneliness

While some consider the long, shared dining table outdated or inconvenient, it is actually a powerful social tool

by Antone Martinho-Truswell

Photo of people waiting on a train platform standing on marked spots as a train speeds past in the background.

Community

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The behavioural immune system protects us, but at what cost?

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unplanned social experiment on skin hunger and touch aversion. How will our politics suffer?

by Manos Tsakiris

Two Women and a Man (1820-23) by Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. Courtesy of the Museo del Prado, Madrid

Communication and language

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How a secret European language ‘made a rabbit’ and survived

How Rotwelsch, the secret lingo of vagrants who mistrusted big words and official institutions, survived via police archives

by Martin Puchner