Home
Panel on life of R. D. Laing, dissident psychiatrist
Terence McLaughlin, editor of Asylum magazine, dies
Ian Parker forwarded the sad news that long-time movement activist Terence McLaughlin has died. Terence edited Asylum magazine and supported MindFreedom's work.
Terence McLaughlin celebrating at the launch of Mary & Jim Maddock's book "Soul Survivor," which he helped publish.
Update: Click here to see a report by Mary and Jim Maddock of the Terence McLaughlin memorial.
by Ian Parker
Terence McLaughlin died on 3 September 2007. He was very recently diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, and caught a secondary infection over the weekend before.
Terence was born in 1947, and was a militant revolutionary socialist for many years in industry before undertaking a psychology degree, which he completed at Manchester Polytechnic. His PhD ‘Psychology and mental health politics: A critical history of the Hearing Voices Movement’ at Manchester Metropolitan University was examined by Marius Romme in 2000.
During the period of his studies and then afterwards he brought radical perspectives to campaigns, conferences and publications against the power of experts to define what is normal and abnormal for others.
He was then, until his death, executive editor of Asylum magazine.
His innovative academic research work was always in the service of wider political struggles, and he sought to keep histories of resistance to ruling ideological paradigms and state practices alive. Those who knew him learnt so much that it will take a long time to reflect upon and find a way across the chasm his death opens up for revolutionary activity in the field of mental health.
