Post-colonial occupational therapy: perspectives from an old empire

This article explores post colonialism from the experience of a white middle class British professional who grew up in the 1960s at the end of the colonial era. In it, I will give a narrative based in personal experience of how this period and its influences impacted on my development as an occupational therapist, applying a 3P archaeological process: Personal, Political, and Professional, a simple tool for identifying a critical position. Parts of Europe are experiencing a postcolonial phenomenon of population diversity which has become the focus of increased attention following migrant crises from conflict and instability in Northern Africa and the Middle East, as well as serious inequalities in opportunity. Many of these people have experienced considerable psychological as well as physical trauma, in addition to any other health issues they may have acquired. Clinical conditions cannot be seen in isolation from the complex social and cultural environments in which they arise. This presentation will not assume to propose solutions, but will conclude with some proposals about developing collective actions through which occupational interventions can be inclusive, and which can take some inspiration from the epistemologies of the south. Key words: colonialism, health, migration, collectivism, occupation