Join the Editor of Medical Humanities, Deborah Bowman, in conversation with Leslie Jamison as they discuss her acclaimed essay collection ‘The Empathy Exams’ and more. Leslie’s work questions how we understand each other and the concept of empathy, drawing on her time as an actor working with medical students and her own experiences of […]
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5th International Symposium on Poetry and Medicine at the Royal Society of Medicine, Wimpole Street, London on Saturday 10 May 2014
Reflections from the 5th International Symposium on Poetry and Medicine by Clare Best This year’s Symposium invited us to focus on how we might begin to define the term ‘medical poetry’ and asked if that is even a useful aim. Michael Hulse started the day with a thought-provoking talk proposing that the Romantic ego […]
Film Review: The Lunchbox, ‘Letters, Chillies, and Memories’
Set between an apartment block in suburban Mumbai and a modest office floor, The Lunchbox is a film of understated elegance exploring human emotions and connections. Ila (played by Nimrat Kaur) is a young, middle-class Indian woman who is desperately trying to rekindle a waning marriage by preparing her husband delicious lunches that are delivered […]
Beautiful Science at the British Library: A Review by Isobel Elstob
We are delighted to publish this guest review by Isobel Elstob who visited the Beautiful Science Exhibition at the British Library for Medical Humanities. The exhibition is showing until 26 May 2014. Review of Beautiful Science: Picturing Data, Inspiring Insight Folio Society Gallery, British Library 20th February – 26th May, 2014 Isobel […]
Review: “Contested Spaces: Abortion Clinics, Women’s Shelters and Hospitals.”
We have another great review today, of Lori A Brown’s book “Contested Spaces: Abortion Clinics, Women’s Shelters and Hospitals.” It’s by Sophie Jones of Birkbeck College, University of London, and considers aspects of architecture, landscape & design, and wider ideas about feminism and attitudes to women’s health in the USA. Looks like a fascinating area […]
“The One-Sex Body on Trial: the Classical and Early Modern Evidence” – a new review by Brandy Schillace
We are thrilled to be able to publish here a wonderful review by Brandy Schillace, of Helen King’s book “The One-Sex Body on Trial: the Early and Modern Evidence.” (Surrey: Ashgate Press 2014.) Thank you so much to Brandy for her contribution to the blog – I will very much look forward to other pieces from her […]
Guest Blog Post by Poet and Writer, Clare Best, Part 2: On Scars and Memories
Guest blog for BMJ Medical Humanities by Clare Best Recently I’ve been thinking about cutting/editing and scars/memories. In two linked pieces for the BMJ Medical Humanities blog, I take a look at my own relationship first with knives and cutting and then with scars and memories. Part two: Scars and memories If […]
Guest Post by Poet and Writer, Clare Best: On Cutting and Editing and Scars and Memories
Recently I’ve been thinking about cutting/editing and scars/memories. In two linked pieces for the BMJ Medical Humanities blog, I take a look at my own relationship first with knives and cutting and then with scars and memories. Part one: Knives and cutting Among my clearest memories of childhood are strong sensory […]
Stories behind closed doors: two films exploring group and drama therapy in prison
The applications of dramatic and theatrical interactions between individual therapists and patient groups were first introduced by Moreno as early as 1920. The term “psycho-drama or drama therapy” was later coined by Kellerman in 1992, and was described as an effective means of supporting individuals in high secure units such as prisons and mental institutions. […]
Dr Greg Neate: Film review – ‘The Man Whose Mind Exploded’
The Man Whose Mind Exploded Documentary film by Toby Amies Succulent Pictures This affectionate, unflinching gonzo documentary sees arts and travel presenter Toby Amies go further than his original Radio 4 programme from 2008 with the same title. (https://soundcloud.com/toby-amies/the-man-whose-mind-exploded). In doing so and by bringing to screen this portrait of an eccentric, extraordinary man who […]