Course Description
This course examines how structural forces such as inequality, marginalisation, economic pressure, discrimination, and systemic instability shape mental health. Learners gain insight into how long-term exposure to social and structural stressors affects psychological wellbeing, identity, and coping, especially within African, diaspora, and global Black communities. The course focuses on dignity, realism, and stability rather than victimhood.
Modules & Lessons
Module 1: Living Under Pressure: Inequality, Marginalisation, and Mental Health
Lessons:
1. What structural pressure means in everyday life
2. Inequality, exclusion, and chronic psychological strain
3. Difference between personal failure and systemic stress
Value Enhancements:
• Micro-case study: Graduate navigating unemployment and social expectations
• Interactive reflection: Learners identify one structural pressure affecting them
• Optional Video Script: Expert discussion on inequality and mental health in African and diaspora contexts
Assessment: Short quiz + reflective journal
Module 2: Financial Pressure and Psychological Stability
Lessons:
1. Economic insecurity and mental wellbeing
2. Debt, survival stress, and constant uncertainty
3. Money, identity, and self-worth
Value Enhancements:
• Case scenario: Family under financial strain balancing dignity and survival
• Worksheet: Financial stress impact map (emotional, relational, cognitive)
• Optional Video Script: Guided talk on separating self-worth from financial instability
Assessment: Impact map submission + reflection
Module 3: Power, Systems, and Psychological Load
Lessons:
1. Institutional power and emotional burden
2. Discrimination, bias, and invisible labour
3. Navigating systems without internalising harm
Value Enhancements:
• Scenario analysis: Workplace discrimination and emotional toll
• Mini-challenge: Awareness log on emotional responses to power dynamics
• Optional Video Script: Expert interview on coping with systemic pressure without burnout
Assessment: Case analysis + short reflective log
Module 4: Stability, Dignity, and Psychological Agency
Lessons:
1. Preserving dignity under pressure
2. Psychological agency without denial of reality
3. Community support, advocacy, and personal boundaries
Value Enhancements:
• Interactive exercise: Personal dignity and stability plan
• Reflection: Identify protective practices against chronic stress
• Optional Video Script: Guided video on sustaining inner stability amid external pressure
Assessment: Stability plan + reflective journal + quiz
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
1. Understand how structural and economic pressures affect mental health.
2. Distinguish systemic stress from personal inadequacy.
3. Recognise the psychological impact of inequality, marginalisation, and power.
4. Develop practical strategies for maintaining dignity, agency, and stability under pressure.