The interdisciplinary field of the medical humanities studies the experience of illness and its cultural meaning across different historical epochs and media. It adds a distinctive humanities perspective to clinical practice and the medical and biological sciences, offering an emphasis on human expression and subjectivity frequently marginalized in these fields. Current research in the medical humanities within the English department focuses on the cultural and intellectual history of psychiatry and psychology during the Cold War era, as well as narratives of illness and disability in twentieth-century and contemporary literature and culture. Faculty members active in this area of research are:
 

Professor Miriam Strube

Dr. Alexander Dunst

PD Dr. Christoph Singer

Tanja Reiffenrath, MA

Dr. Sara Strauß

We welcome inquiries from students and researchers with an interest in further study in these areas or collaborating on research projects.