Health Histories

The Health Histories research group examines the social and cultural history of health and medicine.

Health medicine and society

Health Histories

Our research

What is ‘health’ and what did it mean to be ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ in the past? How have people’s responses to ill-health changed over time, place, and historical context? How does the history of health intersect with things like race, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, and other characteristics and identities?

This research group is interested in histories of health that take historical enquiry beyond histories of medicine or medical treatments towards understandings of health that are broad, diverse, and wide-ranging. Associated members research topics across historical periods, from the medieval to contemporary, and across global geographies and cultures

Discover our subject specialists who lead our research - from postgraduate research students to internationally-renowned academic staff.

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Explore our research projects directory to discover past and present research activity.

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News and events

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CGI stylised image of serpent twisting around a staff, and medical symbols floating around it

The Global Health Histories podcast series seeks to enhance understanding of…

More on First episode of the Global Health Histories Podcast now live
Portrait of Priyanka Trepathi smiling

Dr Tripathi is the School of History's Charles Wallace India Trust visiting…

More on Welcome to Dr Priyanka Tripathi: Research spotlight
The cover of Laura King living with the dead. A photograph of a women in the 1920s wearing a beret and holding a bicycle, against an image of a wooden background.

Living with the Dead: Memories, Histories, and the Stories Families Tell in…

More on Living with the Dead: Professor Laura King on her new book

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An antique black and white photograph showing a hand held over a dark mark on a forearm demonstrating the manual treatment of ulcers

Explore the relationship between images, knowledge, ethics and authorship through the medium of collage and/or zine-making.

More on Workshop: Exposing the Archive: A Workshop on Medical Photography
A photograph of a woman in Edwardian clothing. Her eyes have been coloured in to give her anonymity

In this seminar, three academics will share short "provocations" on the theme on anonymity.

More on Research Seminar: The Ethics of Anonymity in Medical Photography
A model of a set of teeth with a toothbrush against a pink background

A workshop with Rachel Bairsto, Head of Museum Services at the British Dental Association

More on Workshop: Open Wide: Access and Engagement with Dental History Collections