Humanities, Health & Medicine
Danica Sumpter asks a question at the Pop-Up Institute, 2018
The field of Health and Medical Humanities explores and promotes relationships among the arts and humanities on the one hand and health and health care on the other. The substance, methods and passions of the humanities have the potential to transform health care for all by enhancing human connections, deepening the capacity for empathy, and improving our understanding of the cultural and social contexts in which health, illness, and care occur. At the same time, focusing on health and health reinvigorates and reveals new relevance for humanities scholarship and teaching in a society increasingly dominated by STEM fields.
Our Health Humanities initiatives have convened researchers, educators, and students from colleges and schools across campus to, for example, explore the crucial significance of stories and storytelling, investigate how humanities training can advance inquiries into health disparities, and address the roles played by racism and ableism, among other forms of discrimination, in health care. Collaborators come from the College of Liberal Arts, as well as from the Dell Medical School, the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Communication, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Nursing, the Bridging Disciplines Program in the College of Undergraduate Studies, Planet Texas 2050, the Center for Health and Social Policy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and other units, as well as from the Central Texas community.
In addition to a Master of Arts Degree in Humanities, Health, and Medicine, we sponsor two lecture series: the annual Humanities, Health and Medicine Lecture, co-sponsored with Dell Medical School, and the Health Humanities Research Seminar. You can learn about upcoming and prior talks in these series by visiting our events page. HHM Director Phillip Barrish serves with several of our faculty affiliates on the panel that supports the Bridging Disciplines undergraduate certificate program, "Patients, Practicioners & Cultures of Care.
To join our moderated Humanities, Health, and Medicine listserv (rarely more than ten messages a month, usually fewer), please send a request to hhm@austin.utexas.edu.
The field of Health and Medical Humanities explores and promotes relationships among the arts and humanities on the one hand and health and health care on the other. The substance, methods and passions of the humanities have the potential to transform health care for all by enhancing human connections, deepening the capacity for empathy, and improving our understanding of the cultural and social contexts in which health, illness, and care occur. At the same time, focusing on health and health reinvigorates and reveals new relevance for humanities scholarship and teaching in a society increasingly dominated by STEM fields.
Our Health Humanities initiatives have convened researchers, educators, and students from colleges and schools across campus to, for example, explore the crucial significance of stories and storytelling, investigate how humanities training can advance inquiries into health disparities, and address the roles played by racism and ableism, among other forms of discrimination, in health care. Collaborators come from the College of Liberal Arts, as well as from the Dell Medical School, the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Communication, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Nursing, the Bridging Disciplines Program in the College of Undergraduate Studies, Planet Texas 2050, the Center for Health and Social Policy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and other units, as well as from the Central Texas community.
Over the past several years, our Health Humanities programming has included, for example, the 2018-2018 Faculty Fellows seminar, whose theme was "Health, Well-Being, and Healing." In Spring of 2018, we brought together scholars and communty health practicioners for a Health & Humanities Pop-Up Institute. The Pop-Up Institute gave birth to the Health Humanities Research Seminar, which sponsors monthly speakers. Humanities Institute Director Pauline Strong and Associate Director Phil Barrish serve with several of our faculty affiliates on the faculty panel that supports the Bridging Disciplines undergraduate certificate program, "Patients, Practicioners & Cultures of Care. Our most recent initiative is a new Master of Arts Degree in Humanities, Health, and Medicine. Please check the Humanities Institute events page for upcoming HHM events!
To join our Humanities, Health, and Medicine listserv, please send a request to hhm@austin.utexas.edu.
Health Humanities Research Seminars
The Health Humanities Research Seminar (HHRS) grew out of our 2018 Pop-Up Institute on Health and the Humanities. The HHRS convenes monthly during the academic year. Participants listen to a 30-minute presentation either from a UT researcher or from a distinguished guest and then engage with the speaker and one another in Q and A, discussion, and networking. To receive announcements and invitations for the HHRS, please sign up on our Health Humanities listserv. See our Events page for our upcoming seminars and lectures!
Humanities, Health, and Medicine Lecture Series with Dell Medical School
The University of Texas Humanities Institute and Dell Medical School are excited to announce the Humanities, Health, and Medicine Lecture Series. This new collaboration will bring prominent writers, clinicians, and researchers to campus to explore humanistic approaches to health and medicine. Along with other co-sponsored HI and DMS initiatives, including our MD/MA dual-degree program in Humanities, Health, and Medicine, the Humanities, Health, and Medicine Lecture Series will sustain and expand intellectual community among students, faculty, and community members interested in intersections among health, medicine, the humanities, and the arts. The public speaker series is supported by a generous gift from Jill Hall and Sterling Smith, as well as by the Mossiker Chair in the Humanities, Dell Medical School, and the College of Liberal Arts. See our Events page for our upcoming seminars and lectures!
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Dr. Phillip Barrish, Director, MA Program in Humanities, Health, and Medicine
Tony Hilfer Professor of American and British Literature
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Dr. Barrish oversees the Humanities, Health, and Medicine program at the University of Texas-Austin. He directs the HHM Master of Arts degree and coordinates lectures and other events. Dr Barrish teaches Health Humanities courses to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. You can read his full bio here.