Institute for International Health and Development - Staff Profiles

Dr Alison B Strang

Areas of interest

• Psychosocial well-being in fragile environments
• Local capacity building and professional development
• Networking
• Refugee integration and social cohesion

Biographical statement

Alison Strang is a psychologist, whose work has spanned the fields of education, training and health - generally focusing on addressing the needs marginalised groups. She is involved in applied research concerning the psychosocial consequences of conflict and disaster and the humanitarian response to health provision, education and community development. Alison has worked with communities affected by conflict and disaster in the Balkans, Palestine and South East Asia. She has also undertaken research on behalf of the UK government to explore the dynamics of community integration with asylum seekers and refugees.

For the past five years Alison has coordinated the Psychosocial Working Group, a consortium of humanitarian agencies and academic institutions committed to promoting good practice in psychosocial interventions. She is now leading their initiative on global psychosocial networking.

Alison has been particularly committed to psychosocial professional capacity building in areas affected by the Asian tsunami, has been working closely with local colleagues in Sri Lanka and has received funding to extend this work to Indonesia.

Recent publications

Ager, A; Strang, A; O’May, F & Garner, P, (2002), A conceptual analysis of refugee integration. Report to IRSS Home Office, Croydon.
Strang A & Ager A (2003) Psychosocial interventions; some key issues facing practitioners. In Intervention v1,3, pp2-12.
Ager, A & Strang, A, (2004a), The experience of integration:A qualitative study of refugee integration in the local communities of Pollokshaws and Islington. Report to IRSS Home Office, Croydon.
Ager, A & Strang, A, (2004b), Indicators of Integration. A Home Office Development and Practice Report. Communication Development Unit, Room 264, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AT.
Strang A & Ager A (2005) Psychosocial interventions; Key issues facing practitioners. In Friedman, M J & Mikus-Kos, A (eds) Promoting the Psychosocial Well Being of Children following War and Terrorism. NATO Security through Science Series E: Human and Societal Dynamics – Vol. 4. IOS Press
Boothby, N, Wessells, M & Strang, A, (forthcoming) A World Turned Upside Down: The Social Ecologies of Children Affected by Conflict. Kumarian Press, New York.
Wessells, M & Strang, A (forthcoming) Religion as resource and risk: The double–edged sword for children in situations of armed conflict. In Boothby, N, Wessells, M & Strang, A (eds.) A World Turned Upside Down: The Social Ecologies of Children Affected by Conflict. Kumarian Press, New York.

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