In recent decades, both medical humanities and medical history have
emerged as rich and varied sub-disciplines. Medicine, Health and the
Arts is a collection of specially commissioned essays designed to bring
together different approaches to these complex fields. Written by a
selection of established and emerging scholars, this volume embraces a
breadth and range of methodological approaches to highlight not only
developments in well-established areas of debate, but also newly
emerging areas of investigation, new methodological approaches to the
medical humanities and the value of the humanities in medical education.
Divided into five sections, this text begins by offering an overview and
analysis of the British and North American context. It then addresses
in-depth the historical and contemporary relationship between visual
art, literature and writing, performance and music. There are three
chapters on each art form, which consider how history can illuminate
current challenges and potential future directions. Each section
contains an introductory overview, addressing broad themes and
methodological concerns; a case study of the impact of medicine, health
and well-being on an art form; and a case study of the impact of that
art form on medicine, health and wellbeing. The underlining theme of the
book is that the relationship between medicine, health and the arts can
only be understood by examining the reciprocal relationship and
processes of exchange between them.
This volume promises to be a welcome and refreshing addition to the
developing field of medical humanities. Both informative and thought
provoking, it will be important reading for students, academics and
practitioners in the medical humanities and arts in health, as well as
health professionals, and all scholars and practitioners interested in
the questions and debates surrounding medicine, health and the arts.
