Research project

Crafting Heritage for Well-being in Iraq

Project overview

This project will explore the nexus of crafting, heritage and well-being for survivors of conflict in Iraq, which has one psychiatric hospital for 38 million people. It brings together a team with interdisciplinary expertise in arts, heritage and psychology in the UK and Iraq. The project will be co-produced, driven by the team and local participants in collaboration, to ensure the outcomes are relevant and beneficial to Iraq and reflect Iraq’s complex, often intersectional, societal needs. A key aim is to create a robust evidence-base for arts and crafts in improving personal and social well-being. We wish to demonstrate to Iraqi stakeholders and policy makers that such reflective practices play a critical role in fragile post-conflict contexts. We want to determine specific ways that engaging with heritage through craft has potential to rebuild the personal and social well-being and dignity that are key to underpinning sustainable, inclusive peace in Iraq.

Staff

Lead researchers

Dr Emma Palmer-Cooper PhD, CPsychol, FHEA, AFBPsS

Lecturer B

Research interests

  • Metacognition in Psychosis and other serious mental health conditions
  • Creativity and Wellbeing
  • AI and Digital Mental Health
Connect with Emma

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs