Extended members

One of the things I like most about the CPN is that its doing some pretty big things (international collaborations, book projects, a WCPT Focused Symposium next year, etc.), but its still small enough so that you get to see what other people are doing.  And some of the things other people are doing are incredible. Anna Rajala, for instance, has been a CPN member since the early days, and during that time has been writing and teaching about history of medicine, mental health, disability, and political and moral philosophy.  She's done a masters degree in philosophy, politics and economics of health and her dissertation on Hegel’s dialectics of recognition and ethics in dementia was awarded with distinction (Anna's profile).  She is currently enrolled in a PhD at the University of Brighton in the UK. Her blog (Critical | Health | Philosophy) is everything good about 'new' physiotherapy: thoughtful, inspirational, critical, and so much of what Anna writes relates to the challenges and questions we all now face. To give you an illustration, here is a short excerpt an extended piece on theory, practice and dichotomies (link):

What if there were other theories that could expand our understanding? According to Adorno, the conception of finite systems should be turned upside down and we should believe that there is always something else outside the system. Everyone benefits from such critical thinking: the least that this does is that it keeps every physiotherapist challenging their limits. A critical stance towards the foundation of our thinking, towards things and what we think we know about them, is healthy. For example, repeating some concept like a mantra (e.g. biopsychosociality) without considering its meaning, understanding and interpreting the world around us may become defined and restricted by this one concept in a narrow and blind manner.

Physiotherapy needs more thinkers like this, and I'm very happy to say a lot of them are part of the CPN. To find out more about the ideas, publications and interests of CPN members, follow this link. Other readings

Rajala, Anna Ilona. "Pitkäaikaishoivan ruumiillisuuden arvosta [On the value of embodied long-term care]." In Ruumiillisuus ja työelämä: työruumis jälkiteollisessa taloudessa [Embodiment and working life: Working body in post-industrial economy], edited by Jaana Parviainen, Taina Kinnunen and Ilmari Kortelainen. Tampere: Vastapaino, 2016.

Rajala, Anna Ilona and Jenni Aittokallio. “Dikotomiat ajattelun kahleina. Mitä teorian ja käytännön erottelu merkitsee fysioterapeutin työssä? [Dichotomies shackle thinking. What does the separation of theory and practice signify in physiotherapy?]” Fysioterapia 61, issue 4 (2014): 27–31.