Short Abstract:

We seek to bring together anthropologists and health/medical researchers from UoB to debates such topics as decolonising academic language, reflexivity and cultural relativism in medical writing. We will aim for a statement on how to conduct/write about research respectfully and with empathy.

Long Abstract:

In the interdisciplinary sphere of medical schools, initiatives regarding workforce inclusion and diversity, decolonising the curriculum and, to some extent, the language of day-to-day academic administration, are gaining momentum. Research teams’ diversity is often evaluated by funders too.

Conversely, medical writing often lacks reflexivity in terms of the researcher’s role, their positionality, or practice. Also, there are few attempts to reflect on how the often ‘privileged’ health/medical researchers comment on the practices of ‘others’ whose practices do not live up to ‘ideals’ such as those ascribed by WHO. A commitment to inclusion, diversity and decolonisation (IDD) requires commitment to reflexive engagement with the project or medical intervention itself, its impact on participants and communities, our position as researchers, and the language used to talk about participants’ lifeways and practices. Furthermore, despite seeking to understand participants, medical writing can de-value socio-cultural practices and meanings, treating these as secondary to the human right to health when they are deemed inadequate or ‘unhealthy’.

This laboratory will bring together health/ medical researchers from the University of Birmingham, medical anthropologists, and anthropologists in other fields for an interdisciplinary exchange, reflecting on anthropological and medical/health research concepts, insights or methods addressing these issues. Topics for debate include: “is there a need to decolonise academic language in health/ medical research?” "Is it possible to talk about reflexivity in medical writing?” "Is there a space for cultural relativism in medical/health research?” We aim to draft a strategy/statement targeting how to conduct/write about medical/health research respectfully and with empathy.