Mental health conditions are on an all time rise, meaning there is high demand for care. The goal of this project is to combine sociocultural and linguistic analysis to conduct ethnographic research with mental health organizations, government officials, and activists in Providence to investigate the act of listening in the realm of mental health care. This research will examine how listening fosters connectedness and empathy, and how a lack of it creates a disconnect. There will be specific focus on suicide and crisis hotlines, as well as how accessible and effective these resources are for people in and after crisis.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daniel J. Smith
Community Partner: Samaritans of Rhode Island, NAMI-RI 
 

Luke Horton ‘24 (he/him) is a double concentrator in Anthropology and Psychology. He is interested in combining the two to investigate how culture shapes the psyche, particularly in the realm of mental health. He hopes that his current project will aid in the understanding of listening as an act of care and empathy. In his free time, Luke loves walking his dog, doing art, and composing music.