The field of health humanities is a recent development, not only in name but also in practice. The more established medical humanities dates back to the 1970s, when humanities-trained scholars and educators began joining the faculty at medical schools across the US. Its efforts continue to be largely devoted to improving the doctor/patient relationship. In contrast, the health humanities, though still interested in that dyad, reaches beyond it to address larger dynamics and nonclinical contexts that influence individual and community health. It draws from disabilities studies and theories like intersectionality to explore the social, structural, and political impediments to health and healing.
This webinar will trace the development of the health humanities over the last decade or so, drawing out how it differs from the medical humanities to explore what those differences might mean for understanding our personal and communal responses to illness, disability, and health. We will also look at the growing presence of the health humanities at liberal arts colleges and universities, where it promises to empower students to shape the future of healthcare.