We live in a society obsessed with the body: the body perfect; the body far from perfect; the body as commodity- modified, objectified, sold on to the highest bidder; the body as art and as the inspiration for art; the body as a source of identity; and the disrupted or diseased body as the object of societal taboo and medical attention. Yet few of us pause in our daily work to try to understand the central role our bodies, and our patients’ bodies, play in the lives we lead. Until of course something goes wrong.
Which is where the next conference of the Association of Medical Humanities comes in, offering a chance to engage with these ideas from an amazing variety of perspectives as only medical humanities knows how.
As well as featuring international keynote speakers the conference will explore
· the role of the body in framing experience, knowledge, values and the imagination
· the place of the body in relation to creativity and the arts, both as generator and as object
· how science’s methods and agenda reflect the fact and form of embodiment
· the place of medical conceptions of the body, health and well-being within prevalent contemporary understandings of human flourishing
In addition to this there’s the glorious setting that is Durham plus a chance to feast the evening away in historic Durham Castle.
The call for papers is open until 1st April (not 24th April as previously stated- apologies). For more information contact the organisers at cmh.admin@durham.ac.uk
Or visit the AMh website at
See you there!