Aman Rattan

I am a PhD student in applied health research at the Centre for Health Services Studies at University of Kent, funded by National Institute of Health Research Applied Research Collaborations Kent Surrey Sussex (NIHR ARC KSS). My PhD project, PUCHNA (ਪੁੱਛਣਾ / 'to ask'), is an ethnographic study examining how Sikh migrants in Kent (UK) perceive and understand mental health and how this informs their health-seeking behaviours, alongside how Sikh mental health professionals, volunteers, and community leaders interpret mental health conditions and shape the community’s mental health experiences and trajectories. The work is guided by a Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) group and combines participant observation with in‑depth interviews conducted in English and Punjabi. 

I’m trained in clinical psychology theory and practice, and my research sits at the intersection of Mental health, Anthropology and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). I’m especially interested in diaspora health, faith, stigma, and culturally grounded approaches to wellbeing, with a commitment to ethical, community led research and accessible dissemination. My fieldwork focuses on Sikhs in everyday Sikh spaces across Kent (e.g., Gurdwaras, homes, community centres) and on conversations with Sikh mental health professionals practicing in Kent. My project aligns with CHaI’s themes by centring culture and lived experience in how mental health is understood, expressed, and navigated. I’m looking to connect with others who’d like to share a workspace or meet over coffee as we develop our individual projects, creating opportunities to exchange ideas on community research and co-production, ethnographic fieldwork, and culturally accessible ways of sharing research. I hope to contribute with ethnographic insights, collaborate on comparative migration/faith and mental health work, and learn from colleagues using mixed, participatory, and creative approaches. I’m bilingual (English/Panjabi) and have a soft spot for retro movies and old school music, anything with a bit of nostalgia and character.

Email: ar832@kent.ac.uk

Affiliation: University of Kent, United Kingdom