Course Name: ENG 39995 Health Humanities in Context: History, Gender and Literature in Italy

Description: When we think of medicine, many people imagine solemn emotional detachment and a commitment to the clear objectivity of science. But medicine is a science that is mediated by the stories of individuals.  Medicine, as a discipline, is constantly managing its identity between the demands of scientific advancement and the emotional needs of patients. This course explores the intersections of the arts, literature and medicine by critically considering what it means to bear witness to multi-modal narratives about medicine and the human body.  The opportunities available to us in Italy will allow us to deepen our understanding of the history of medicine, with all of its bizarre and fascinating true stories that range from horror to romance, parallels literary and art history. 

In this class, we will consider what it means for medicine to be an art, metaphorically and literally. How can models of thought most commonly found in the humanities work within a medical or scientific context? We will use literature, art,  and critical texts to learn to read with what scholars call "narrative humility." Different modes of textual and visual media will be discussed in this class, including memoir/non-fiction narrative, fiction, performance art and film, and anatomical textbooks and museums.  Tentative readings may include Bram Stoker's Dracula, Joanna Pearson's Oldest Mortal Myth, and Suzan Lori Parks' Venus.  Field trips will include The Specola Medical Museum and the Gallileo Museum, among others. 

Credit Hours: 3

Prerequisites: ENG 21011 or HONR 10297.