400014 SE Health and Society in Theory (2023W)

In this doctoral seminar, we will be looking at theoretical approaches through which the multiple relations between health, disease and society have been conceptualized in the social sciences. Through conceptual keywords, such as embodiment, haunting, or materiality, students will familiarize themselves with a range of theories that underpin contemporary research in the domain of health widely understood, and relate them to their own empirical endeavors. The aim of the seminar is twofold: -to get an overview of key theoretical frameworks of the last decade in the domain of health and disease; - to reflect on how certain theories might inform one’s own research and/or help analyze the empirical material. We will ask: which theory would help you to frame your work? What are the blind-spots and/or elucidations of particular theoretical approaches?