Peter Szto
(Fulbright Distinguished Chair of the Social Sciences, NUS, 2022)Peter Szto is Professor of Social Work at the Grace Abbott School of Social Work, University of Nebraska at Omaha (USA). He was the Fulbright Distinguished Chair of the Social Sciences at NUS in 2022. Before teaching he worked for 12-years in various inpatient and community mental health settings in Michigan and Philadelphia (USA). His current research focuses on visualizing social welfare with projects in China, Singapore, and mental health stigma and spirituality. For the past 20 years, Szto has utilized documentary photography as a tool for conducting social welfare research.
Psychiatric Space
2000 - ongoing
Digital photo
Personal Statement
Psychiatric Space is an ongoing series that aims to destigmatize perceptions about psychiatric care. This exploration prompts us to consider the following questions: How does culture influence the way we discuss and address mental health? How does culture shape our understanding of mental health concepts? To what extent do these cultural influences differ between the East and the West?
By incorporating images that were utilized in my professional research and teaching, the slideshow format of this presentation directly engages the audience, shedding light on two interconnected epistemologies. First, it explores the optical aspects of visual acuity, which depend on the precision of optical and mechanical processes through which our minds perceive visible phenomena. Second, it delves into the subjective, perspectival, and interpretive nature of "seeing." Understanding how our minds perceive and interpret the social world is paramount in the field of social work. As a social worker, I rely on both ways of "seeing" to validate hypotheses and generate reliable forms of knowledge. This insight not only informs my professional practice but also allows me to connect more effectively with my clients and contribute to the promotion of social well-being. Psychiatric Space provided us with an understanding on how photography can be utilised as a medium of education, reflection, communication, and conversation.
Psychiatric Space is an ongoing series that aims to destigmatize perceptions about psychiatric care. This exploration prompts us to consider the following questions: How does culture influence the way we discuss and address mental health? How does culture shape our understanding of mental health concepts? To what extent do these cultural influences differ between the East and the West?
By incorporating images that were utilized in my professional research and teaching, the slideshow format of this presentation directly engages the audience, shedding light on two interconnected epistemologies. First, it explores the optical aspects of visual acuity, which depend on the precision of optical and mechanical processes through which our minds perceive visible phenomena. Second, it delves into the subjective, perspectival, and interpretive nature of "seeing." Understanding how our minds perceive and interpret the social world is paramount in the field of social work. As a social worker, I rely on both ways of "seeing" to validate hypotheses and generate reliable forms of knowledge. This insight not only informs my professional practice but also allows me to connect more effectively with my clients and contribute to the promotion of social well-being. Psychiatric Space provided us with an understanding on how photography can be utilised as a medium of education, reflection, communication, and conversation.
