A virtual symposium hosted by the Medical Humanities program at WiSER (university of the Witwatersrand), in conjunction with the Medical and Health Humanities Africa network and the Primary Health Care Directorate (University of Cape Town). The symposium will take place from the 19th October to 13 November 2020.
This virtual symposium is hosted by the Medical Humanities program at WiSER (university of the Witwatersrand), in conjunction with the Medical and Health Humanities Africa network and the Primary Health Care Directorate (University of Cape Town).
Discussions on the topic of breath have become pertinent with the coronavirus affecting how we think about breath and breathing; lungs and livelihoods; and as we bear witness to the asphyxiation of the planet and people at the hands of the powerful and privileged.
The virtual symposium brings together academics, artists, activists and practitioners who work on the intersections of social sciences, humanities, health sciences, arts and activism to creatively think about the many ways that breath and breathing feature in our everyday lives. They explore themes around breath - the physical processes to inhale, or inspire - and exhale, or expire - as well as metaphorical or conceptual extensions of what it means to inspire and expire.
The program features diverse presentation formats. There will be live academic panels, a virtual gallery featuring poetry, photography film, and music, virtual workshops as well as keynote speakers.
Our two keynotes speakers are:
Dr Ela Manga, Integrative Medical Practitioner, 30 October 2020
Prof. Jane Macnaughton, Director, Institute for Medical Humanities, Durham, 12 November 2020
