Philip Ruthen is a London-based independent researcher and writer, and has worked alongside people from the mental health system survivor movement in a variety of paid and voluntary roles.

Specialist Skills Areas:

The development and management of voluntary organisations and charities; combining research, policy and capacity building skills to enhance organisations working in health and social care service delivery; continuing interest in law, ethics and social policy arenas; also arts experience with spoken word/literature promotion projects.

University Education:

2006 Masters in Research in Law - Merit

Birkbeck College, University of London

Research areas:  legal theory, medical law and ethics; law and literature, politics and philosophy in conjunction with disability civil rights movements; dissertation encompassing UK / European  mental health legislation and public policy formation.

1989 MA in English Literature

University of Warwick

Studies on American Literature; Ford Madox Ford and Joseph Conrad; the American Long Poem.

1987 BA (Aegrotat) Modern English Studies

University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (UWIST), Cardiff

Encompassing English linguistics, literature, critical theory.

Articles & Conference Papers:

> The open-access AHRC Law and Technologies on-line Journal ‘SCRIPT-ed’ published my peer-reviewed feature article Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) - The imposition of ‘truth’?, (2006) 3:4 SCRIPT-ed 412, concerning contemporary UK mental health legislation.

This followed the paper’s presentation in the Medical Law stream at the Socio-Legal Studies Association annual conference, Stirling, 2006. It is available from the journal ‘SCRIPT-ed’, open-access, at: <http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol3-4/ruthen.asp>

> I presented the paper ‘resisting fiction?’ from the Post-structural Politics stream at the Critical Legal annual conference, Kent University, 09/2005.

This study proposed a development of current political theory, particularly from contemporary European political economy and perspectives in comparative law, with regard to the civil rights of disabled people.

> Forthcoming monograph to be published in 2009: developed from my Masters in Research in Law dissertation (for which a Distinction was awarded by Birkbeck College): ‘Paradoxes of progression’ - on the “class exclusion” of people who have contact with UK mental health services’. Waterloo Press (Hove).

Freelance Author & Third Sector Activity:

> I am a widely published poet, book reviewer, short fiction writer, and article author in literary, academic law and mental health survivor movement related areas.

> Trustee - and Chair for 2009/10 - of the UK national charity “Survivors’ Poetry“, and as mentor and editor to the poet Steve Mann, produced the publication of Steve’s first collection ‘Cui bono?” published by Survivors’ Press, (2007) www.survivorspoetry.com

> Guest commissioning editor for Poetry Express (PE) 27/28 and is co-editor for PE30, summer 2009, the quarterly free to download on-line journal from Survivors’ Poetry.

> Topical work has appeared in various disability civil rights publications over the past 5 years.

A joint-authored feature article on Survivors’ Poetry with journalist Júlia Sorribes appears in A Life in the Day journal from Pavilion Journals, June 2009.

> A first collection of poetry: ‘Jetty View Holding’, (2009), Waterloo Press (Hove), details available from www.waterloopresshove.co.uk 

In mid-October 2009, the 2007 e-book poetic-prose memoir One Hundred Days War will be re-published with The Recusant on-line writing project http://www.therecusant.org.uk

Employment, & Elected Voluntary Advisory Posts:

September 2009: Advocacy Training Coordinator, CoolTan Arts

http://www.cooltanarts.org.uk

2009   Independent Chair, Southwark User Council (SUC), via Southwark Mind

2008 - 2009   Project Co-coordinator South East Service User Network (SESUN)

Previously funded by the South East Development Centre, NHS, network members positively influence developments within mental health services across the region.

2008            Mental Health Survivor Movement History Research Worker

Freelance research contract supported by the national charity ‘Together’, with UK-wide liaison, to assist in establishing national history archive project.

2007 - 2008   Administrative Co-ordinator, Sutton Mental Health Action Group

Sutton Mental Health Action Group (SMHAG) is an independent group promoting better health services and developing alternate service options for people with  experience of mental distress; based in south London.

2004 - 2005   Elected representative via Mind Link to Mind’s Council of Management
Policies sub-Committee

2004 - 2005   SE/SW Region Elected Representative to Mind Link National Advisory
Panel  (NAP) with Mind, The National Association for Mental Health

2004 - 2005   Liaison Officer Sutton Mental Health Action Group (SMHAG)

1996            Lead Officer/Development and Projects Co-ordinator with Sutton Alliance
Disabled People (SADP); London Borough of Sutton

1994 - 1996   Development Worker with Mid Surrey Mental Health User Group (SWAY)