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About the Center

Center for Medical Humanities

The UCI Center for Medical Humanities explores dimensions of human embodiment, especially those that relate to illness, disability, and other experiences of bodyminds. An institutional collaboration between the School of Medicine, School of Humanities, and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the Center brings together faculty and student scholars, clinicians and policy makers, and key community stakeholders to explore the arcs of living and dying and everything in between from a range of disciplinary perspectives. These perspectives span from the creative and performative arts, textual and visual representations, systems of belief and philosophical orientations, to clinical practice and health sciences. The Center’s scope also takes up questions of stigma and other social pressures on those considered differently abled. This commitment to broad forms of human vulnerability enables deeper appreciation of the ways by which people, communities and spaces make meaning out of different experiences of embodiment, of their own and of others. The Center promotes research and creative activity, supports teaching and learning, and sustains engagement between the campus and the diverse communities served by UCI in the southern California region.

Kelli Sharp

Welcome to UCI’s Center for Medical Humanities (CMH) where the convergence of arts, humanities, and medicine unveils a comprehensive interdisciplinary and interprofessional approach. Our goal is to explore the intricate ways individuals derive meaning from their experiences of embodiment and its multifaceted aspects, with a special focus on the vulnerabilities woven by illness or disability.

Moreover, we are committed to actively examining the influence of societal and cultural norms in shaping the stigmas that unfairly burden those facing health challenges. Through rigorous academic inquiry, imaginative pursuits, reflective analysis, creative endevours, and active community involvement, CMH delves into the profound impact that illness, disease, and disability have on the social fabric of our lives.

This year, we're excited to host a series of events centered around the theme "Care, Repair, and Resilience." We're bringing scholars, activists, and artists to campus for dialogues with UCI faculty, staff, students, clinicians, and the public. Together, we'll explore how to rebuild and create wholeness. Join us, ask questions, and collaborate to find answers.

 

Kelli Sharp
Director, Center for Medical Humanities
Chair and Associate Professor of Dance Science

Upcoming Events

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