The Polyphony

Medicalisation and Medicalising Deviance Liam Marshall reflects on the limits of contemporary medicalisation scholarship which can de-historicise enduring modes of power.

Liam Marshall reflects on the limits of contemporary medicalisation scholarship which can de-historicise enduring modes of power.

thepolyphony.org/2026/02/26/m...

Fluid Boundaries of Cure and Care: Contested Meaning of Intravenous Treatment M. Iqbal Syauqi Al Ghiffary explores Intravenous Treatment as a tangible cultural artefact that transforms abstract suffering into visible care.

M. Iqbal Syauqi explores Intravenous Treatment as a tangible cultural artefact that transforms abstract suffering into visible care.
thepolyphony.org/2026/02/20/f...

The Body in Pain Across Languages: Translating Medical Records into Art Elena Foulis and Julieta Manrique consider additional ways to understand people’s experiences with illness and pain beyond spoken languages, focusing on Manrique’s paintings of her experiences with…

Elena Foulis (@drafoulis.bsky.social) and Julieta Manrique consider additional ways to understand people’s experiences with illness and pain beyond spoken languages, focusing on Manrique’s paintings of her experiences with fibromyalgia.
thepolyphony.org/2026/02/18/t...

Beyond Reductionism: Reimagining Medical Education through the Humanities Vivek N. D. reviews Alan Bleakley’s ‘Medical Humanities: Ethics, Aesthetics, Politics (2024)’, examining the contemporary purpose of medical humanities in medical education.

Vivek N. D. reviews Alan Bleakley’s Medical Humanities: Ethics, Aesthetics, Politics (2024), examining the contemporary purpose of medical humanities in medical education.

thepolyphony.org/2026/02/12/r...

The Cultures of Youth Mental Health Gracie Wilson and Momoko Katayama reflect on the key points raised at the Cultures of Youth Mental Health workshop held at the University of Chicago’s Hong Kong campus.

Gracie Wilson and Momoko Katayama reflect on the key points raised at the Cultures of Youth Mental Health workshop held at the University of Chicago’s Hong Kong campus.

thepolyphony.org/2026/02/10/y...

Articulating Pain: Online Support Groups and Chronic Illness Years of chronic illness left Eve McDonald frustrated by the lack of language available to describe her pain. Rather than submitting to suffering in silence, she chose to piece together a new langu…

Years of chronic illness left Eve McDonald frustrated by lack of language. Rather than submitting to suffering in silence, she chose to piece together a new language, embracing the “ineffability of illness” through creative writing and online support groups.

thepolyphony.org/2026/02/09/a...

My short article on ‘ontological friction’ is out now! Super grateful to @evasurawy.bsky.social for the incredible support

Medical Humanities and Humanistisk hälsoforskning in Sweden: mid-1970s to mid-1990s Kristin Zeiler reflects on features of the early field of medical humanities in Sweden, specifically focusing on Linköping University, and poses three questions for the field based on these feature…

Kristin Zeiler reflects on features of the early field of medical humanities in Sweden, specifically focusing on Linköping University, and poses three questions for the field based on these features.
thepolyphony.org/2026/02/06/m...

Review of the Exhibition: Normal#Verrückt – Zeitgeschichte einer erodierenden Differenz Michaela Clark reviews an exhibition that explores and complicates the social and psychiatric norms of post-war Germany.

Michaela Clark reviews an exhibition that explores and complicates the social and psychiatric norms of post-war Germany.

thepolyphony.org/2026/02/04/n...

Ontological Friction: Understanding Dysmenorrhea through Multiplicity Annie James introduces the concept of ‘ontological friction’ to explore the medical and lived complexity of a form of menstrual pain.

Annie James introduces the concept of ‘ontological friction’ to explore the medical and lived complexity of a form of menstrual pain.

thepolyphony.org/2026/02/02/o...

Hearing the Neuro-Voice in the International Narrative Neurology Network (INNN) Claire Jeantils, Rong Huang, and Benjamin Dalton unravel the stories behind the International Narrative Neurology Network (INNN), a cross-sectoral network that investigates Narrative Neurology from…

Claire Jeantils, Rong Huang, and Benjamin Dalton unravel the stories behind the International Narrative Neurology Network (INNN), a cross-sectoral network that investigates Narrative Neurology from a practical and theoretical perspective.

thepolyphony.org/2026/01/29/i...

When A Name Replaces The Story Monica Ross uses her personal and clinical experience to explore how diagnostic language can clarify, constrain, and quietly shape the meaning of a life.

@drmonicaross.bsky.social uses her personal and clinical experience to explore how diagnostic language can clarify, constrain, and quietly shape the meaning of a life.

thepolyphony.org/2026/01/28/w...

Disabled by Design: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Anindita Charles Xavier explores the representation of disability, state control, and body politics in Ishiguro’s novel.

How can dystopian narratives illuminate real-world structures of coercion, exclusion, and exploitation? Anindita C Xavier explores Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go.

thepolyphony.org/2026/01/27/n...

PhD School 2025: Queer Methodologies in Medical Humanities – the polyphony Conversations across the medical humanities

We're pleased to announce this collection of contributions to The Polyphony from attendees at the 2025 International PhD School on Queer Methodologies in Medical Humanities, which took place in Durham in March 2025.

📖 Read the collection 👇
thepolyphony.org/category/col...

The Language of Medical Concepts in Spanish Julián Bohórquez and Ivory Day reflect on the importance of both translating fundamental terms in philosophy of medicine into Spanish, as well as the value of importing Spanish terminology into the…

Julián Bohórquez and Ivory Day reflect on the importance of translating fundamental terms in philosophy of medicine into Spanish, as well as the value of importing Spanish terminology into the Anglophone discussion.
thepolyphony.org/2026/01/20/m...

Endometriosis in Words: Stories, Emotional Dictionaries, and Endostand Loïc Bourdeau discusses the #ENDOs project and the deployment of narrative tools to challenge the normalisation of endometriosis pain, empower those living with the disease, and educate health prac…

Loïc Bourdeau discusses the #ENDOs project and the deployment of narrative tools to challenge the normalisation of endometriosis pain, empower those living with the disease, and educate health practitioners.
thepolyphony.org/2026/01/14/e...

‘You Choose’: 3D Pills, Cancer, and Personalised Medicine in the Museum Claire Turner and Jack Gann explore questions of personalised medicine, digital technologies, and prevalent health concerns in the exhibition You Choose.

Enjoyed reflecting on @thackraymuseum.bsky.social's 2024 exhibition 'You Choose' in this piece with @jackgann.bsky.social for @the-polyphony.bsky.social. Some fascinating insights into the prevalence of cancer in the popular imagination among all age groups.

thepolyphony.org/2026/01/12/y...

‘You Choose’: 3D Pills, Cancer, and Personalised Medicine in the Museum Claire Turner and Jack Gann explore questions of personalised medicine, digital technologies, and prevalent health concerns in the exhibition You Choose.

Claire Turner and Jack Gann explore questions of personalised medicine, digital technologies, and prevalent health concerns in the exhibition You Choose.

thepolyphony.org/2026/01/12/y...

Epidemic Narratives Dilip K. Das introduces an interdisciplinary framework for epidemic narratives in India by drawing on methods from literature, social theory, and public health. He explores how communities, writers…

Dilip K. Das introduces an interdisciplinary framework for epidemic narratives in India by drawing on methods from literature, social theory, and public health. He explores how communities, writers, and scholars make sense of outbreak narratives.
thepolyphony.org/2026/01/09/e...

When “A Bit Unwell” Means a Lot Xue Dong examines a seemingly euphemistic expression used by Chinese patients that may actually suggest serious discomfort.

Xue Dong examines a seemingly euphemistic expression used by Chinese patients that may actually suggest serious discomfort.
thepolyphony.org/2025/12/19/w...

Holding and Beholding Art Surjavo Sen Gupta reimagines a multisensory art gallery as a space for restoration and ocular relief through his time as a walk leader at the Flowing Heritage exhibition at Arthshila.

Surjavo Sen Gupta reimagines a multisensory art gallery as a space for restoration and ocular relief through his time as a walk leader at the Flowing Heritage exhibition at Arthshila.
thepolyphony.org/2026/01/07/h...

The Boatman of the Sewers: Queering Graphic Medicine Suniti Madaan discusses how Amruta Patil’s graphic narrative Kari reconceptualises graphic medicine to trace the sociocultural and temporal paradigms of sickness in Mumbai.

Suniti Madaan discusses how Amruta Patil’s graphic narrative Kari reconceptualises graphic medicine to trace the sociocultural and temporal paradigms of sickness in Mumbai.
thepolyphony.org/2026/01/05/t...

DMS 69: Art Activism as Rebellion Against Psychiatric Authority Dolly Sen dismantles psychiatric authority through art activism, exposing the politics of diagnosis and reclaiming the narrative of madness.

Dolly Sen dismantles psychiatric authority through art activism, exposing the politics of diagnosis and reclaiming the narrative of madness.

thepolyphony.org/2026/01/02/d...

Whose Body is it Anyway? Epistemic Injustices in Healthcare Leo Gunn explores epistemic injustice, “a wrong done to someone specifically in their capacity as a knower” in chronic illness.

"Participants in Chronic Illness Inclusion’s research... explained that disbelief from medical professionals ‘knocked [their] self-confidence’... [they] were left wondering if they were ‘making things up’. Ultimately many were left feeling ‘worthless’."

thepolyphony.org/2025/12/22/e...

Back in August, I ran a poetry workshop for psychiatrists at St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic career, and I hope more will follow.

A special thanks to the History of Psychiatry Special Interest Group of the @rcpsych.bsky.social!

Cartographies of Disability through Creative Practice In our next creative piece for the ‘In Practice’ project, Greg Hoghman explores disability, geography and mobility through his digital cartography titled Travels of a Disabled Person Wh…

In our next creative piece for the 'In Practice' project, Greg Hoghman explores disability, geography and mobility through his digital cartography titled Travels of a Disabled Person Who Does Not Drive in 'America's Finest City (2003-2025).

thepolyphony.org/2025/12/18/c...

Breathing Together: Multispecies Care in Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes Anuj Kumar brings together ecological vulnerability, multispecies care, and relational health in his reading of Shaunak Sen’s film All That Breathes.

Anuj Kumar brings together ecological vulnerability, multispecies care, and relational health in his reading of Shaunak Sen’s film All That Breathes.

thepolyphony.org/2025/12/17/b...

Exploring the Indian Care Labyrinth through Sarah Clark Miller’s The Ethics of Needs Pragna Dev discusses the Indian care system in this personal review, in dialogue with Miller’s foundational text.

Pragna Dev discusses the Indian care system in this personal review, in dialogue with Miller's foundational text.

thepolyphony.org/2025/12/16/e...

A Return to the Poetic Roots of Psychiatry Mila Daskalova reflects on the importance of poetry to psychiatry, both in the nineteenth-century and the present day.

Mila Daskalova reflects on the importance of poetry to psychiatry, both in the nineteenth-century and the present day.

thepolyphony.org/2025/12/15/p...

"When anti-stigma campaigns shift away from acting on the wider determinants of health [..] they tend to [..] reproduce inequalities."

#RecalibratingStigma

@oliwilliams.bsky.social @gmthomas.bsky.social @amychandler.bsky.social
Tanisha Spratt

@brisunipress.bsky.social