Landscapes of the Mind

In the context of a growing global mental health crisis, especially among young people, public commentators have noted the positive effects of walking, reading and the close observation of the natural world on well-being. But mental health in crisis, as well as the experiences of war and displacement, are not unique to our time. This Agora project, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, aims to communicate ideas derived from a long literary history of observing and writing about natural places as a means to recover from these traumatic experiences.

We will draw on a long history of writing about Swiss and Lake District landscapes from the Romantic period to the present in order to explore the ways in which these two environments have been used as spaces of recovery.  As well as looking at the way such experiences have been explored in literature, the project team will work with contemporary groups of young migrants and refugees to explore what these places mean for such groups now. In working with participants in the creative and health sectors, we aim to foster public dialogue about the role of literature in addressing the kinds of mental health issues being experienced today.