Cultures of Harm in Institutions of Care. Historical and Contemporary Perspectives (360G-Wellcome-201323_Z_16_Z)

This two-day event titled ‘Cultures of Harm in Institutions of Care: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives’ brings together scholars from around the world working in the humanities, social sciences and medicine to share new research on this pressing and topical social issue that has been seriously under-researched by historians. Uniquely, we will take a multi-disciplinary approach to address different types of institution - hospitals, psychiatric facilities, asylums, care homes and children's homes - at different periods of history from the mid eighteenth century to the present day. Our ultimate aim is to forge a crucible of rigorous cutting-edge scholarship that will not only lead to a far deeper understanding of how systemic abuse is brought about and perpetuated in institutions, but which will have the potential to inform public policy and official inquiries. More specifically, we will: - Explore continuities and change over time and within different cultural and institutional contexts - Create an interdisciplinary network from which other events and publications can be launched - Edit a special journal issue or a volume of essays based on selected conference papers (talks are already underway with interested publishers) - Launch an ongoing programme of workshops and public events.