Does mental illness beget great poetry? These 4 poets exposed the sickness of a society that sought to contain them

By George Mouratidis, Fellow, Literary Studies, The University of Melbourne

This article contains references to suicide.

The publication last year of Steven M. Weine’s Best Minds: How Allen Ginsberg Made Revolutionary Poetry from Madness has reinvigorated enduring questions about the relationship between mental health and creativity. As the title suggests, these questions are at once literary and sociopolitical.

Does mental illness beget great poetry? Many poets – celebrated and obscure, from antiquity to the present – have, to varying degrees, navigated…

Read complete article

~	Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that

~	Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

~	Overtourism is reshaping communities in Europe – could Australia be next?

~	Childcare sexual abuse is mostly committed by men. Failing to recognise that puts children at risk

~	Creative Australia’s backflip on Venice Biennale representatives exposes deep governance failures

~	How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety?

~	The Dalai Lama is a cisgender man – yet he has an unexpected connection to the trans community

~	Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?

~	China is rushing to develop its AI-powered censorship system

~	Karakalpakstan Victims Await Justice Three Years On