The study of material culture has unlocked new ways of understanding history. In the medical humanities, focusing on objects has enabled historians to move beyond traditional, heroic narratives of medical innovators and instead explore the lived experiences of patients. The one-day online workshop, “Object Stories in Health and Medicine, 1700-1900,” aims to enrich the practice of working with objects as primary sources. This event, hosted by the University of Birmingham, will take place via Zoom on Friday, December 5, 2025.

This online workshop addresses the need for more research into earlier periods of medical history. By focusing on the 18th and 19th centuries, the workshop offers a long-term perspective that crosses conventional historical periods. Participants will explore the rise of medical professionalism, the proliferation of specialisms, the growth of institutional care, and changing theories of the body and mind, all within the context of the lived experience of health and sickness.

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Call for Papers: Submit Your Proposal

Scholars are invited to submit proposals for 15-minute talks centered on a single object related to health or medicine from the period 1700-1900. This is a unique opportunity to explore the methodological possibilities and pitfalls of a material approach to historical research, particularly when dealing with historically marginalized groups. The workshop seeks to develop and advance creative and ethical methods for analyzing the histories of medicine and health.

The organizers welcome proposals on a variety of themes, including but not limited to:

• Medical education and practice
• Health and personal care
• Medical personas and patient identities
• Sexuality, sexology, and sexual health
• Health inequalities linked to race and class
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Anatomy, pathology, and physiology
• Fine art and its intersections with medicine
• Health and medicine in museums and archives

To participate, interested individuals should submit a single document containing a 250-word proposal, an image of their chosen object, and a 150-word biography. All materials must be sent to Dr. Anna Jamieson and Dr. Rebecca Whiteley The deadline for submissions is Monday, October 6.