Arts, Humanities, and Health

The Program in the Arts, Humanities, & Health recognizes that art and the humanities can foster empowerment, equity, and community, and serve to humanize medical practice and education. The arts and humanistic inquiry are powerful tools for cultivating health, and serve to both nurture and reflect the human spirit. Further, the arts and humanities are uniquely capable of connecting people–caregivers and patients, students and teachers, institutions and their surrounding communities–in the realization and experience of their shared humanity.

The Program in the Arts, Humanities, and Health (AHH) engages members of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (JHMI) and East Baltimore communities in a range of activities at the nexus of artistic expression, humanist inquiry and well-being. Expanding the mission of the Office of Cultural Affairs, which has furthered medical arts and humanities at JHMI since the 1970s, AHH: (1) partners with relevant stakeholders across the university and city to offer new cultural programs (e.g., concerts, film series, discussions of poetry, literature and art, etc.); (2) serves as a clearinghouse for ongoing JHMI initiatives at the intersection of the arts, humanities and health; and (3) cultivates stronger relationships between JHMI and the East Baltimore community through the arts.

Researchers

Iro Filippaki

Graduate Fellow

Gail Geller

Director of Education Initiatives, Berman Institute of Bioethics; Professor, SOM

Upcoming Events

Media, Data, & Health / Race, Racism, & Health / Reproduction, Health, & Society
All working days 9:00 am / 5:00 pm
February 12 to May 25
The Welch Medical Library is hosting two complementary exhibitions highlighting the illustrated history of public health messaging as a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. These exhibitions will be on display in the second floor gallery of the Welch Medical Library building. The building is open form 9-5, M-F. National Library of Medicine Exhibition: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/aids-posters/index.html  AIDS, Posters, and Stories of Public Health: A People’s History of a Pandemic This exhibition explores how AIDS posters serve as highly adaptable, durable, cost effective, efficient tools in sharing public health messaging. Created by communities bonded together by illness and a desire to make change, these posters provide a gateway to AIDS history, illustrating how, in the face of illness, neglect, and, early on, the unknown, people came together to connect, create, and save one another's lives. Today, AIDS posters continue to be valuable resources for the ongoing epidemic. They teach us about community organizing processes and the ways that groups dealing with HIV heal, share fears, and strategize toward wellness together. AIDS, Posters, and Stories of Public Health: A People's History of a Pandemic includes selected AIDS posters from Surviving and Thriving: AIDS, Politics, and Culture, the 2013 exhibition about the history of HIV/AIDS in the United States. The Exhibition Program By creating exhibitions about the social and cultural history of science and medicine, we encourage visitors of all ages to learn more about themselves and their communities. These exhibitions and supportive resources engage diverse audiences and connect visitors to National Library of Medicine trusted health information resources. Patricia Tuohy Head, Exhibition Program Julie Botnick Exhibition Technical Information Specialist Jiwon Kim Exhibition Educator Carissa Lindmark Traveling Exhibition Assistant Erika Mills Community Outreach Coordinator Jane Markowitz Traveling Exhibition Services Coordinator Tannaz Motevalli Exhibition Coordinator Curation Theodore (Ted) Kerr Guest Curator Writer, Organizer, and Founding Member of What Would an HIV Doula Do? Creative Services Link Studio Website Design & Development HealyKohler Design Exhibition Design Education Contributors Eric W. Boyle, PhD U.S. Department of Energy Washington, DC Special Acknowledgements History of Medicine Division Jeffrey Reznick, PhD Chief, History of Medicine Division Kenneth Koyle Deputy Chief Allison Cao Web Program, Pathways Student Lindsay Franz Systems Librarian Elizabeth Mullen Manager of Web Development and Social Media Ginny Roth Manager of Prints and Photographs   Office of Computer and Communications Systems Wei Ma Chief, Applications Branch Winston Churchill Applications Branch Joe Potvin Applications Branch Ying Sun Applications Branch   Public Services Division Jean (Bob) Edouard Collection Access Section  
  Johns Hopkins Medicine Exhibition:  Spreading the Word: HIV/AIDS Education and the People's Health The CDC reported the first cases of AIDS on June 5, 1981. In 1985, scientists confirmed that AIDS was caused by a virus, later named the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Since the first reported cases of the disease, HIV/AIDS has killed some 40 million worldwide. In response to the pandemic, activists, artists, community-health organizations, public health experts, and healthcare professionals created a variety of visually engaging materials that sought to educate the public about the disease and its prevention. In other instances, HIV/AIDS became the subject of specific pieces of art and popular culture. On display are two complimentary exhibits highlighting examples of these visually engaging materials. The National Library of Medicine’s traveling exhibit, AIDS Posters and Stories of Public Health: A People’s History of a Pandemic, highlights the cultural output of community workers, activists, and artists who sought to educate the public about HIV/AIDSIn the exhibit Spreading the Word: HIV/AIDS Education and the People’s Health, 1983-2001, visitors will see how different types of print media and images were used in public-health initiatives, AIDS education, art, and popular culture in the United States from 1983 to 2001. These media and images range from public health posters and pamphlets to graphic novels and comic books. Both exhibits encourage us to think about how HIV/AIDS messaging has changed over time and to interrogate how some of the messaging was delivered. The exhibits remind us, too, about the impact HIV/AIDS has had on the lives of people in the U.S. and beyond. The exhibits also stand as another important reminder. Despite the historical material on display, HIV/AIDS is not a thing of the past. Exhibit designed by: Jason M. Chernesky, Terri Hatfield, and Michael Seminara
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Past Events

February 12, 2024
Media, Data, & Health / Race, Racism, & Health / Reproduction, Health, & Society
February 12, 2024 to May 25, 2024All working days 9:00 am / 5:00 pm

HIV/AIDS Education & Messaging Exhibits @ the Welch Medical Library

The Welch Medical Library is hosting two complementary exhibitions highlighting the illustrated history of public health messaging as a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. These exhibitions will be on display in the second floor gallery of the Welch Medical Library building. The building is open form 9-5, M-F. National Library of Medicine Exhibition: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/aids-posters/index.html  AIDS, Posters, and Stories of Public Health: A People’s History of a Pandemic This exhibition explores how AIDS posters serve as highly adaptable, durable, cost effective, efficient tools in sharing public health messaging. Created by communities bonded together by illness and a desire to make change, these posters provide a gateway to AIDS history, illustrating how, in the face of illness, neglect, and, early on, the unknown, people came together to connect, create, and save one another's lives. Today, AIDS posters continue to be valuable resources for the ongoing epidemic. They teach us about community organizing processes and the ways that groups dealing with HIV heal, share fears, and strategize toward wellness together. AIDS, Posters, and Stories of Public Health: A People's History of a Pandemic includes selected AIDS posters from Surviving and Thriving: AIDS, Politics, and Culture, the 2013 exhibition about the history of HIV/AIDS in the United States. The Exhibition Program By creating exhibitions about the social and cultural history of science and medicine, we encourage visitors of all ages to learn more about themselves and their communities. These exhibitions and supportive resources engage diverse audiences and connect visitors to National Library of Medicine trusted health information resources. Patricia Tuohy Head, Exhibition Program Julie Botnick Exhibition Technical Information Specialist Jiwon Kim Exhibition Educator Carissa Lindmark Traveling Exhibition Assistant Erika Mills Community Outreach Coordinator Jane Markowitz Traveling Exhibition Services Coordinator Tannaz Motevalli Exhibition Coordinator Curation Theodore (Ted) Kerr Guest Curator Writer, Organizer, and Founding Member of What Would an HIV Doula Do? Creative Services Link Studio Website Design & Development HealyKohler Design Exhibition Design Education Contributors Eric W. Boyle, PhD U.S. Department of Energy Washington, DC Special Acknowledgements History of Medicine Division Jeffrey Reznick, PhD Chief, History of Medicine Division Kenneth Koyle Deputy Chief Allison Cao Web Program, Pathways Student Lindsay Franz Systems Librarian Elizabeth Mullen Manager of Web Development and Social Media Ginny Roth Manager of Prints and Photographs   Office of Computer and Communications Systems Wei Ma Chief, Applications Branch Winston Churchill Applications Branch Joe Potvin Applications Branch Ying Sun Applications Branch   Public Services Division Jean (Bob) Edouard Collection Access Section  
  Johns Hopkins Medicine Exhibition:  Spreading the Word: HIV/AIDS Education and the People's Health The CDC reported the first cases of AIDS on June 5, 1981. In 1985, scientists confirmed that AIDS was caused by a virus, later named the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. Since the first reported cases of the disease, HIV/AIDS has killed some 40 million worldwide. In response to the pandemic, activists, artists, community-health organizations, public health experts, and healthcare professionals created a variety of visually engaging materials that sought to educate the public about the disease and its prevention. In other instances, HIV/AIDS became the subject of specific pieces of art and popular culture. On display are two complimentary exhibits highlighting examples of these visually engaging materials. The National Library of Medicine’s traveling exhibit, AIDS Posters and Stories of Public Health: A People’s History of a Pandemic, highlights the cultural output of community workers, activists, and artists who sought to educate the public about HIV/AIDSIn the exhibit Spreading the Word: HIV/AIDS Education and the People’s Health, 1983-2001, visitors will see how different types of print media and images were used in public-health initiatives, AIDS education, art, and popular culture in the United States from 1983 to 2001. These media and images range from public health posters and pamphlets to graphic novels and comic books. Both exhibits encourage us to think about how HIV/AIDS messaging has changed over time and to interrogate how some of the messaging was delivered. The exhibits remind us, too, about the impact HIV/AIDS has had on the lives of people in the U.S. and beyond. The exhibits also stand as another important reminder. Despite the historical material on display, HIV/AIDS is not a thing of the past. Exhibit designed by: Jason M. Chernesky, Terri Hatfield, and Michael Seminara
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December 3, 2023
Critical Global Health Studies / Critical Pedagogies of Health and Society / Medicine, Science, & Humanities / Race, Racism, & Health
All Day

CFP: New Perspectives in the History of Child Health

**2024 Workshop and Special Issue: Call for Proposals**

Call for paper proposals for an international workshop on child health history hosted at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, on June 21-22, 2024. There is support available for travel and lodging. The workshop is sponsored by: The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the University of Fribourg

In bringing together junior and senior scholars working on issues surrounding children’s health and healthcare, the workshop aims at developing a series of articles for a special issue journal focusing on child health and children’s experiences of health and illness from a historical perspective. Though the field of children’s history has grown over the past thirty years, it deserves more attention from historians of medicine and public health. Therefore, the workshop aims to underscore the importance of child health as a field of research and point to its potential for historical and historiographical interventions in the history of medicine and public health. In addition to historians, we encourage paper proposals from scholars working at the intersections of histories of children’s health, disability studies, non-western areas of study, healthcare disparities, health policy, sociology, anthropology, or other related fields.  We especially encourage submissions from scholars whose work focuses on child health in low- and middle-income non-Western countries. Applicants must be prepared to submit a full working draft of their paper prior to the meeting. The workshop will be led by Jason Chernesky (Johns Hopkins University; jcherne2@jhmi.edu),  Janet Golden (Rutgers University; jgolden@camden.rutgers.edu), and Felix Rietmann (University of Fribourg; felix.rietmann@unifr.ch).

Please submit an abstract (max. 300 words) and a brief CV here. The deadline for submission is Friday, December 1, 2023. All questions can be addressed to Jason M. Chernesky: jcherne2@jhmi.edu

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September 6, 2023
Arts, Humanities, & Health / Medicine, Science, & Humanities
8:00 am / 2:00 pm

Visual Histories of Humor and Health: A Virtual Symposium

Register here for this virtual event! Join us for this virtual symposium exploring visual histories of humor and health, organized by Christine Slobogin, Katie Snow, and Laura Cowley in collaboration with Johns Hopkins's Center for Medical Humanities and Social Medicine. These discussions of medically adjacent art will examine the role that visual humor has had and continues to play in healing and healthcare, as well as in experiences of illness, injury, and death. This event aims to enrich interdisciplinary approaches to the medical humanities, humor studies, and histories of visual culture and art. This event will feature ten-minute short-form talks exploring vibrant intersections of humor, visual culture, and the health humanities, each followed by ample time for discussion, questions, and feedback involving all attendees. The speakers showcased are contributors to an upcoming edited volume, but the event is open to all, and we encourage people who are not contributors to join us and get involved. We will schedule regular breaks and aim to accommodate participation across multiple time zones. You are welcome to join late or leave early. Please reach out with any access needs at cslobog1@jh.edu.
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July 14, 2023

New “For the Medical Record” Mini Episode with Zubin Mistry

A new episode of “For the Medical Record” will be published July 14! In one of our mini episodes based on colloquium talks given here at Hopkins, we speak to Zubin Mistry about the paper that he presented at the Johns Hopkins Program in the History of Science, Medicine & Technology’s colloquium series titled “The Problem of Monastic Gynecology: Reproduction, Religion and Medicine in Western Europe before 1100.” Subscribe to our podcast “For the Medical Record” to be alerted when new episodes drop – you can do this on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
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June 15, 2023

New “For the Medical Record” Mini Episode with Rana Hogarth

A new episode of “For the Medical Record” will be published June 15! In one of our mini episodes based on colloquium talks given here at Hopkins, we speak to Rana Hogarth about the paper that she presented at the Johns Hopkins Program in the History of Science, Medicine & Technology’s colloquium series titled “The Science of Skin Color: Miscegenation and the Eugenic Gaze in the Early Twentieth Century.” Subscribe to our podcast “For the Medical Record” to be alerted when new episodes drop – you can do this on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
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May 5, 2023
11:00 am / 2:00 pm

Exploring the Opioid Industry Documents: Research Communities, Educational Opportunities, and Community Data

**See the “Schedule for May 5th” (below) for links to the Webinar recordings** The Opioid Industry Documents Archive (OIDA) invites you to Exploring the Opioid Industry Documents: Research Communities, Educational Opportunities, and Community Data. This event will feature a webinar where scholars will discuss how they successfully used OIDA and other Industry Documents Library (IDL) collections. We will also conduct a hands-on virtual workshop that will help researchers navigate and explore the OIDA’s under-researched and rich collections. Millions of once-private industry documents have recently been made public as a result of the nationwide litigation related to the opioid crisis.  Over the past year a joint effort between UCSF’s IDL and the Johns Hopkins University has made them all accessible online: a repository comprised of opioid manufacturers, pharmacies, wholesalers, and consulting firms – with more to come. In addition to revealing the central role these companies and pharmacies played in the opioid crisis, the documents also provide a rich set of sources for scholars in health policy, medical sociology, medical anthropology, business ethics, public health, law, legal history, history of medicine, history of public health, business history, and more. Schedule for May 5th

Webinar

For the full webinar recording, click here. The recordings for the individual talks can be found below.

 

11:00 – 11:45   Webinar Plenary Talk:

“Voices and Stories in the Digital Archive: Reflections on the Making of Pushing Cool and Insights for Storytelling from the Opioid and Tobacco Archives”

 

Keith Wailoo, PhD – Henry Putnam University Professor of History and Public Affairs, Princeton University

A recording of Keith Wailoo’s talk can be found here

11:45 – 12:15   Introduction to the Industry Documents Library (IDL) and Opioid Industry

Documents Archive (OIDA)

Kate Tasker, IDL Managing Archivist, UCSF

                        A recording of Kate Tasker’s talk can be found here

12:15 – 12:45  Researchers’ Experience Using OIDA

Adam Koon, PhD; MPH – Assistant Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

“The Opioid Industry Documents Archive: New Directions in Research”

A recording of Adam Koon’s talk can be found here

Gaurab Bhardwaj, PhD; MBA – Associate Professor of Strategy, Babson College

“Searching the Opioid Industry Documents Archive”

A recording of Gaurab Bhardwaj’s talk can be found here

12:45 – 1:00       Break

 

Workshop

1:00 – 2:00   Exploring the OIDA Collections: Search Strategies and Discussion (open to registered attendees only)

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April 28, 2023

New “For the Medical Record” Episode with Jessica Leigh Hester

A new episode of the Center's podcast "For the Medical Record" will be published on Friday, April 28! In this episode, we talk to science journalist and Johns Hopkins History of Medicine PhD student Jessica Leigh Hester about her recent book Sewer (Bloomsbury, 2022). We discuss the medical, social, and structural intricacies of sewers – and sewer stewardshipas well as Jessica’s PhD research on graverobbing and the display of human remains. Thanks for listening!  Subscribe to our podcast “For the Medical Record” to be alerted when new episodes drop – you can do this on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
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April 14, 2023

New “For the Medical Record” Mini Episode with Courtney Thompson

A new episode of “For the Medical Record” will be published April 14! In one of our mini episodes based on colloquium talks given here at Hopkins, we speak to Courtney Thompson about the paper that she presented at the Johns Hopkins Program in the History of Science, Medicine & Technology’s colloquium series titled "A Calculus of Compassion: Emotion, Medicine, and Identity in Late Nineteenth-Century America." Subscribe to our podcast “For the Medical Record” to be alerted when new episodes drop – you can do this on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
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March 31, 2023
12:00 pm

New “For the Medical Record” Episode with Walker Magrath

A new episode of “For the Medical Record” will be published March 31! Join us in our conversation with medical student Walker Magrath about his recent work as a scholarly concentrator in the history of medicine. In 2022, Walker published an article in Annals of Internal Medicine titled The Fall of the Nation’s First Gender-Affirming Surgery Clinic. In this episode, we discuss the history of this gender-affirming surgery clinic here at Johns Hopkinshow studying the medical humanities and medical history can improve medical education and practiceand the continued struggle for equity in LGBTQIA+ healthcare. Thanks for listening!  Subscribe to our podcast “For the Medical Record” to be alerted when new episodes drop – you can do this on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
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March 15, 2023
1:00 pm

New “For the Medical Record” Mini Episode with Alexandre White Released

A new episode of “For the Medical Record” will be published March 15! In one of our mini episodes based on colloquium talks given here at Hopkins, we speak to Alexandre White about his book Epidemic Orientalism: Race, Capital, and the Governance of Infectious Disease (Stanford University Press, 2023). The launch of this book was presented on February 7, 2023 as part of the Johns Hopkins Program in the History of Science, Medicine & Technology's colloquium series. Subscribe to our podcast “For the Medical Record” to be alerted when new episodes drop – you can do this on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
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