Abstract

The relationship between the mind and the body raises innumerable challenging questions across the arts, humanities, and social science disciplines. For those who come into professional contact with the human body every day in the National Health Service, the mind and the body are usually considered distinct from each other. This is even reflected in the organisational structure of the NHS , where mental health trusts are separate from other healthcare services. Any medical interpretation of the human body, even while it is grounded in empirical evidence, is also inevitably shaped by the intricacies of cultural context, but this is often overlooked in contemporary medicine.

Keynote speaker: Ludmilla Jordanova (KCL)

Confirmed speakers include: Prof Robin Kirkpatrick (Modern and Medieval Languages), Dr Hester Lees-Jeffries (English Literature), Dr Rowan Williams (Theology), Prof Andrew Bradley (Transplant and Academic Surgery)