|
Marking the launch of a new annual conference, research
and publication series, this inter-disciplinary and
multi-disciplinary project aims to explore the processes
by which we attempt to create meaning in health, illness
and disease. The project will also examine the models we
use to understand our experiences of health and illness
(looking particularly at perceptions of the body), and to
evaluate the diversity of ways in which we creatively
struggle to make sense of such experiences and express
ourselves across a range of media.
Papers, presentations, reports and workshops are invited
on any of the following themes;
the 'significance' of health, illness and disease for
individuals and communities; the factors which influence
our perceptions of health and illness experiences
the concept of the 'well' person; the preoccupation with
health; the attitudes of the 'well' to the 'ill'; perceptions of
'impairment' and disability; the challenges posed when
confronted by illness and disease; the notion of being
'cured'; chronic illness; terminal illness; attitudes to
death
how we perceive of and conduct ourselves through the
experiences of health and illness; the effects on our
sense of identity; our relationship with our own body; how
others perceive us - family, friends, strangers, doctors,
nurses, care givers
'models' of the body; the body in pain; biological and
medical views of illness; the ambiguous relationship with
'alternative' medicine and therapies; the doctor-patient
relationship; the 'clinical gaze'; the body as machine and
the role of technology; the rise of genetics; manipulation
of the body - transplantation, surgery; the body as
resource; 'artificial' bodies; the impact of body 'models'
on the person
the impact of health, illness and disease on biology,
economics, government, medicine, politics, social
sciences; the changing relationship between society and
medical development; the potential influences of gender,
ethnicity, and class; health care, service providers, and
public policy
the nature and role of metaphors in expressing the
experiences of health, illness and disease - for example,
illness as 'another country'; the role of narrative and
narrative interpretation in making sense of the 'journey'
from health through illness, diagnosis, and treatment; the
importance of story telling; dealing with chronic and
terminal illness; the 'myths' surrounding health, illness
and disease
the relationship between creative work and illness and
disease: the work of artists, musicians, poets, writers.
illness and the literary imagination - studies of writers
and literature which take health, disability, illness and
disease as a central theme.
Perspectives are sought from those engaged in
art and art therapy, creative writing, English literature,
history of medicine, media studies, the performing arts
(dance, music, theatre), philosophy and ethics,
psychology and social psychology, social sciences,
sociology and sociobiology, theology and religious
studies
anatomy, child care nursing, clinical psychology,
counselling, gerontology, health education, health
services, hospital administration, immunology, medical
and surgical nursing, medicine and the medical sciences,
pharmaceutical sciences, public health care
practitioners in health care fields - doctors, GP's,
surgeons, health care workers, care givers, hospice
workers.
Papers will be considered on any related theme. 300 word
abstracts should be submitted by Friday 5th April 2002. 8
page conference papers should be submitted by Friday
7th June 2002.
The conference is the first in an annual series of research
projects, run under the general banner 'Probing the
Boundaries'. It aims to create working 'encounter' groups
between people of differing perspectives, disciplines,
professions, and contexts. The project is to be supported
by an e-mail discussion group, resource website, ISSN
e-journal, and dedicated ISBN Book series. Selected
papers accepted for and presented at the conference will
be published in themed volumes.
|
