Matthew Smith
@healthhistory.bsky.social
Historian of health and medicine at the University of Strathclyde. I research mental health, food/nutrition, and immunology/allergy. Cycling, hiking, kayaking, nature, basic income, music, Gaidhlig, Scotland, Canada.
Pinned
Matthew Smith
@healthhistory.bsky.social
· Jan 26
The First Resort | Columbia University Press
Social psychiatry was a mid-twentieth-century approach to mental health that stressed the prevention of mental illness rather than its treatment. Its propone... | CUP
cup.columbia.edu
This book explains why tackling social problems, including poverty, inequality, and racism, is the best way to prevent mental illness.
cup.columbia.edu/book/the-fir...
cup.columbia.edu/book/the-fir...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Wouldn't it be nice if they involved a historian to help explain the emergence and rise of ADHD? Wonder who they could ask?
Wouldn't it be nice if they involved a historian to help explain the emergence and rise of ADHD? Wonder who they could ask?
Streeting orders review into mental health and ADHD diagnoses
The health secretary said the aim was to tackle a rising demand for services and the increased pressure on the NHS.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 9:43 AM
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Wouldn't it be nice if they involved a historian to help explain the emergence and rise of ADHD? Wonder who they could ask?
Wouldn't it be nice if they involved a historian to help explain the emergence and rise of ADHD? Wonder who they could ask?
Reposted by Matthew Smith
Join us for the online launch of the Winter 2025 Issue of @asylummagazine.bsky.social
Friday 19th December, 6pm GMT
Register here to attend:
bit.ly/Asylumlaunch...
All welcome ❤️
Friday 19th December, 6pm GMT
Register here to attend:
bit.ly/Asylumlaunch...
All welcome ❤️
December 1, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Join us for the online launch of the Winter 2025 Issue of @asylummagazine.bsky.social
Friday 19th December, 6pm GMT
Register here to attend:
bit.ly/Asylumlaunch...
All welcome ❤️
Friday 19th December, 6pm GMT
Register here to attend:
bit.ly/Asylumlaunch...
All welcome ❤️
I’ve spoken up for Scotland’s nature!
The Natural Environment Bill's next debate on 19 November must make sure its strong enough to restore wildlife, protect our future, and unite us in recovery.
action.rspb.org.uk/page/181323/...
The Natural Environment Bill's next debate on 19 November must make sure its strong enough to restore wildlife, protect our future, and unite us in recovery.
action.rspb.org.uk/page/181323/...
Ask your MSP to act for Scotland's wildlife.
MSPs will debate one of the most important nature bills in a generation on the 19th of November.
Take action and make sure they back a strong Bill that protects wildlife, not weakens it.
action.rspb.org.uk
November 29, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I’ve spoken up for Scotland’s nature!
The Natural Environment Bill's next debate on 19 November must make sure its strong enough to restore wildlife, protect our future, and unite us in recovery.
action.rspb.org.uk/page/181323/...
The Natural Environment Bill's next debate on 19 November must make sure its strong enough to restore wildlife, protect our future, and unite us in recovery.
action.rspb.org.uk/page/181323/...
Reposted by Matthew Smith
Not much makes me too homesick, but Blue Rodeo definitely does.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMt0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMt0...
Blue Rodeo - Hasn't Hit Me Yet (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by Blue Rodeo
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Not much makes me too homesick, but Blue Rodeo definitely does.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMt0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMt0...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
This was brilliant.
This was brilliant.
Drama on 4 - Samhain - BBC Sounds
By Ben Lewis. Soulful drama infused with storytelling and song.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 7:35 AM
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
This was brilliant.
This was brilliant.
The Relationship Between Social Class and Mental Health | Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-sh...
The Relationship Between Social Class and Mental Health
A 1950s study of social class and mental illness in New Haven changed the way people thought about mental health.
www.psychologytoday.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:42 PM
The Relationship Between Social Class and Mental Health | Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-sh...
I logged in to write another blog for 'A Short History of Mental Health' (Psychology Today ) and realized that I've written 50 of these things! Here they are:
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/shor...
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/shor...
A Short History of Mental Health
Looking backward to move forward
www.psychologytoday.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:17 AM
I logged in to write another blog for 'A Short History of Mental Health' (Psychology Today ) and realized that I've written 50 of these things! Here they are:
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/shor...
www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/shor...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I guess they'd be Trump supporters?
I guess they'd be Trump supporters?
Scotcast - The Orange Order's Most Worthy Grand Master - BBC Sounds
Andrew Murray is on a mission to modernise.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 1:16 PM
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I guess they'd be Trump supporters?
I guess they'd be Trump supporters?
Reposted by Matthew Smith
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voces-y-tr...
An online series of public conversations on the ethical, political and experiential dimensions of psychiatric deinstitutionalisation.
Organised as part of the project "Transitions: the Ethics and Politics of Psychiatric Deinstitutionalisation in South America"
An online series of public conversations on the ethical, political and experiential dimensions of psychiatric deinstitutionalisation.
Organised as part of the project "Transitions: the Ethics and Politics of Psychiatric Deinstitutionalisation in South America"
Voces y Trayectorias: Conversations on Psychiatric Deinstitutionalisation
Join our online series exploring psychiatric deinstitutionalisation. This month, we welcome our special guest Dr Benedetto Saraceno.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 22, 2025 at 4:56 PM
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voces-y-tr...
An online series of public conversations on the ethical, political and experiential dimensions of psychiatric deinstitutionalisation.
Organised as part of the project "Transitions: the Ethics and Politics of Psychiatric Deinstitutionalisation in South America"
An online series of public conversations on the ethical, political and experiential dimensions of psychiatric deinstitutionalisation.
Organised as part of the project "Transitions: the Ethics and Politics of Psychiatric Deinstitutionalisation in South America"
Thanks to Nicolas Henckes for his kind review of The First Resort: The History of Social Psychiatry in the United States. This year has been tough personally (to say the least), but I am nearing completion of book #5: Why We Need the History of Health & Medicine
academic.oup.com/shm/advance-...
academic.oup.com/shm/advance-...
Matthew Smith, The First Resort. The History of Social Psychiatry in the United States
Matthew Smith's latest book is a contribution to a growing body of historical works seeking to assess the impact on psychiatry in the mid-20th century of t
academic.oup.com
October 21, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Thanks to Nicolas Henckes for his kind review of The First Resort: The History of Social Psychiatry in the United States. This year has been tough personally (to say the least), but I am nearing completion of book #5: Why We Need the History of Health & Medicine
academic.oup.com/shm/advance-...
academic.oup.com/shm/advance-...
Reposted by Matthew Smith
October 20, 2025 at 9:17 AM
On a trip to Spain my son's arm erupted in a huge swelling due to an insect bite. A quick trip to a pharmacy & some antihistamine did the trick. But allergies are rarely that simple. That's why we need historians & social scientists to try to figure them out. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Historical and social science perspectives on food allergy
Historians and social scientists scholars have addressed three issues related to food allergies: First, they have addressed epidemiology, including the apparent rise in the rate of food allergies and...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM
On a trip to Spain my son's arm erupted in a huge swelling due to an insect bite. A quick trip to a pharmacy & some antihistamine did the trick. But allergies are rarely that simple. That's why we need historians & social scientists to try to figure them out. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Matthew Smith
Our Local Nature grants are for young people, and selected by young people. There's just over a fortnight until the deadline for this year, so get your applications in now!
The scheme provides funding for youth-led projects to connect with and protect nature across the UK.
Apply at buff.ly/ChleErt
The scheme provides funding for youth-led projects to connect with and protect nature across the UK.
Apply at buff.ly/ChleErt
October 9, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Our Local Nature grants are for young people, and selected by young people. There's just over a fortnight until the deadline for this year, so get your applications in now!
The scheme provides funding for youth-led projects to connect with and protect nature across the UK.
Apply at buff.ly/ChleErt
The scheme provides funding for youth-led projects to connect with and protect nature across the UK.
Apply at buff.ly/ChleErt
universityaffairs.ca/opinion/lets...
Teach students HOW to know and think, not WHAT to think
Teach students HOW to know and think, not WHAT to think
Let’s keep the “human” in the humanities - University Affairs
The case for technology-free learning spaces.
universityaffairs.ca
October 3, 2025 at 7:43 AM
universityaffairs.ca/opinion/lets...
Teach students HOW to know and think, not WHAT to think
Teach students HOW to know and think, not WHAT to think
Oh my, there are some clanking errors in this podcast. Apparently, you could be treated with lobotomies and electroconvulsive therapy in Victorian asylums - except you couldn't because they weren't invented until the 1930s. The Noiser Network and the BBC can do better
www.noiser.com/short-histor...
www.noiser.com/short-histor...
The Victorians, Part 1 of 2 | Short History Of... | Noiser History Podcasts
Award-winning podcasts that bring the most thrilling events in history to life.
www.noiser.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Oh my, there are some clanking errors in this podcast. Apparently, you could be treated with lobotomies and electroconvulsive therapy in Victorian asylums - except you couldn't because they weren't invented until the 1930s. The Noiser Network and the BBC can do better
www.noiser.com/short-histor...
www.noiser.com/short-histor...
Reposted by Matthew Smith
A great opportunity to shape, define research in n Philosophy of Science and enhance ones own research career. And it's in Vienna.
#Postdoc at U. of Vienna in philosophy of science, with focus on scientific modeling, interdisciplinarity &/or philosophy of engineering, w/ Prof. Tarja Knuuttila. English & German language proficiency required.
Deadline: Oct 9th
#philsci
jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Universi...
Deadline: Oct 9th
#philsci
jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Universi...
University Assistant postdoctoral, in the research area of Philosophy of Science
University Assistant postdoctoral, in the research area of Philosophy of Science
jobs.univie.ac.at
October 1, 2025 at 1:22 PM
A great opportunity to shape, define research in n Philosophy of Science and enhance ones own research career. And it's in Vienna.
Not too surprising.
theconversation.com/the-more-in-...
theconversation.com/the-more-in-...
The more in favour of welfare you are, the more likely you are to support cycle lanes
Findings show that the most political people have the strongest views on green transport infrastructure, potentially skewing the debate.
theconversation.com
September 24, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Not too surprising.
theconversation.com/the-more-in-...
theconversation.com/the-more-in-...
academic.oup.com/shm/article/...
The ‘Predelinquent’ and the Community: Psychiatric Surveillance and Predictive Policing in Interwar Berkeley
The ‘Predelinquent’ and the Community: Psychiatric Surveillance and Predictive Policing in Interwar Berkeley
The ‘Predelinquent’ and the Community: Psychiatric Surveillance and Predictive Policing in Interwar Berkeley
Summary. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the Berkeley Police Department, renowned as a centre of scientific training and investigation, developed new programm
academic.oup.com
September 17, 2025 at 1:17 PM
academic.oup.com/shm/article/...
The ‘Predelinquent’ and the Community: Psychiatric Surveillance and Predictive Policing in Interwar Berkeley
The ‘Predelinquent’ and the Community: Psychiatric Surveillance and Predictive Policing in Interwar Berkeley