Rate My Professor Snita Ahir-Knight

Dr Snita Ahir-Knight is a Lecturer and Programme Lead in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington, where she leads the lived experience education and research programme World of Difference | He Ao Whakatoihara kore. She earned a Degree in Social Work from Oxford Brookes University, a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of London, and a PhD in Philosophy from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, with her thesis focusing on mental disorder and mental health interventions for children and youth, specifically non-suicidal self-harm and unruly behaviour. Previously, she was a visiting research scholar in philosophy and a teaching fellow in ethics at the same university. As a trained child and adolescent therapist and social worker, she has accumulated more than 15 years’ experience in the not-for-profit, community, and mental health sectors across New Zealand and the UK.

Her research interests center on mental disorders, mental health, children, youth, and parenting relationships, particularly ethical considerations for children of parents with mental health and addiction challenges, and the role of lived experience in higher education teaching. Notable publications include "Beyond risk: Rethinking harm for children of parents living with mental health and addiction challenges" in Australasian Psychiatry (2026), "Notes about me, without me: Research about me, without me" in Research Involvement & Engagement (2026), "From coffee to collaboration: reflections and insights on lived experience in higher education teaching" and "Supporting lived experience teaching academics through co-reflection" both in Higher Education Research & Development (2026), as well as earlier works such as "Mental disorder-related stigma: a lived experience lens" in Journal of Global Ethics (2024) and "Is non-suicidal self-harm in youth a mental disorder?" in International Journal of Applied Philosophy (2021). She co-guest edited a special issue of Higher Education Research & Development on integrating lived experience in higher education and serves on the Diversity Committee of the Australasian Association of Philosophy. Ahir-Knight's leadership in the internationally recognized World of Difference programme advances the integration of lived experience perspectives to promote recovery, inclusion, and human rights in mental health.