International Health Humanities Network: Humanities Subject Area Blog Entries

With support from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Centre for Values, Ethics and Law in Medicine and the Charles Perkins Centre from the University of Sydney, a new research collaboration in Health Humanities held its inaugural symposium on February 10, 2015. Presenters and workshop participants explored different paradigms and approaches to understanding health, its meanings, communication, and promotion – as well as its social, cultural, political, ethical, and spiritual dimensions and context.

We were excited that Professor Paul Crawford from Nottingham attended to lend his wisdom and ideas about how to grow this collaboration in Sydney and Australia. In addition, we were happy to also have five distinguished scholars under the leadership of Professor Fu Hua from the University of Fudan in Shanghai, China attend this event.

An outstanding line up of speakers, who represented the wide, diverse range of public health, social sciences, arts and humanities disciplines, concepts, methods, research, and practices. Their engahing presentations highlighted the diversity of this area and the importance of social change and ‘nourishing environments’ to sustain healthy development. We concluded the day with an all-participant workshop, where we generated a cross-pollination of ideas, opinions and discussions.

Stay tuned for further development in the health humanties in Australia. As a group, we are excited to join this international network and are happy to engage in future discussions and potential collaborations. Contact Dr. Olaf Werder at olaf.werder@sydney.edu.au for further details if interested.