Institute for Medical Humanities

Description

The Institute for Medical Humanities coordinates and supports research on the lived experience of health and illness, with a focus on ‘hidden experience’.

These experiences may be hidden for various reasons – perhaps they have no external symptoms or cannot be measured by conventional scientific methods, perhaps they are considered shameful or stigmatised by society, perhaps they cannot be easily described, or they relate to marginalised groups of people.

These experiences are easy to hide, but difficult to comprehend, explain or get help for. The Institute believes a medical humanities approach can shed new light on these hidden experiences to improve health policy and practice and benefit the lives of communities and individuals.

Through interdisciplinary investigations spanning all three Durham University faculties and drawing in colleagues from English Studies, Theology, History, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Sport and Exercise Science and Psychology, among others, the Institute is developing and expanding research projects on topics including trauma, post-natal depression, addiction, deafness, dreams, hallucinations, touch, memory, weather, menopause, and anxiety.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Contact details

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University affiliation(s)

Durham University
Durham

Partner Infrastructures

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