HI176-30 Mind, Body, and Society: The History of Medicine and Health
Introductory description
This module examines how the body and mind have been conceptualised across time and place--from changing medical constructs of health and disease, to the moral judgements placed upon ‘abnormal’ bodies and behaviours. Amongst other topics, we will consider the ethics of graverobbing and the international organ trade, the dark history of eugenics and scientific racism, and the roots of current debates over socialised medicine and vaccination.
Module aims
This 30 CATS team-taught first-year option will introduce students to concepts in the history of the body and mind, and how they have been framed across place and time. We will cover a wide thematic range -- from changing medical constructs of health and disease, to the moral judgements placed upon unruly bodies and behaviours. Far from remaining static over time, the constitution of 'normal' and 'abnormal' minds and bodies will be shown to have changed dramatically from the early modern period to the present day. Geographically, this module will provide global perspectives on a range of topics, with case studies focused on Europe, North America, Russia, and beyond. Lectures will be delivered by the academic staff of the History Department's Centre for the History of Medicine.
Lectures in term one will introduce basic concepts, sources and historiographic trends, as well as some key ideas, events, practices and participants that have shaped attitudes towards physical and mental properties. Lectures in term two will explore relevant themes from a range of different historical and historiographical perspectives. Topics in term three will tackle contemporary ethical concerns and debates, drawing on historical and interdisciplinary perspectives. Workshops at the end of terms one and two will equip students to start doing their own primary-source research and how to construct effective historical arguments.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Term 1
Week 1: The Early Modern Body
Week 2: Early Modern Drug Testing
Week 3: Anatomy
Week 4: Measurement and Classification
Week 5: Psychology and Empire
Reading week
Week 7: Military Medicine
Week 8: The Rise of Science
Week 9: Eugenics
Week 10: Research Workshop
Term 2
Week 1: Diseases
Week 2: Socialist Medicine
Week 3: Medicalisation and Morality
Week 4: Disability and the Challenge to Medicine
Week 5: Post-war Mental Health
Reading week
Week 7: The Global Trade in Health and Disease
Week 8: State Medicine and the NHS
Week 9: Historiography
Week 10: Writing Workshop
Term 3
Week 1: Public Health: An Introduction
Week 2: Public Health: Liberty Vs Compulsion
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Gain a broad understanding of key concepts relating to the history of medicine, health, and societal conceptions of the mind and body.
- Identify important historiographical debates in the field.
- Identify and engage with a range of relevant primary materials and online resources.
- Gain interpersonal and communication skills through the delivery of a presentation.
- Devise well-defined essay topics, collect relevant data from a variety of sources and present results in an effective fashion.
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Specific reading list for the module
Subject specific skills
See learning outcomes.
Transferable skills
See learning outcomes.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 sessions of 1 hour (7%) |
| Seminars | 20 sessions of 1 hour (7%) |
| Tutorials | 2 sessions of 1 hour (1%) |
| Private study | 258 hours (86%) |
| Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
History modules require students to undertake extensive independent research and reading to prepare for seminars and assessments. As a rough guide, students will be expected to read and prepare to comment on three substantial texts (articles or book chapters) for each seminar taking approximately 3 hours. Each assessment requires independent research, reading around 6-10 texts and writing and presenting the outcomes of this preparation in an essay, review, presentation or other related task.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A5
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| 1000-word piece of introductory writing (essay plan or assignment of tutor’s choice) | 10% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Seminar participation/presentation | 10% | No | |
Reassessment component |
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| 1000 word reflective essay | Yes (extension) | ||
Assessment component |
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| 2000 word essay | 30% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| 3000-word essay or equivalent | 50% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Written comments and oral feedback will be provided for non-assessed assignments.
Courses
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 1 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
- Year 1 of UHIA-VM11 Undergraduate History and Politics
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of UENA-VQ32 Undergraduate English and History
- Year 1 of UHIA-V100 Undergraduate History
- Year 1 of UHIA-VM11 Undergraduate History and Politics
- Year 1 of UHIA-VL13 Undergraduate History and Sociology
This module is Option list A for:
-
UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
- Year 1 of V1V5 History and Philosophy
- Year 2 of V1V5 History and Philosophy
This module is Option list G for:
- Year 1 of UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics