SOCIAL HISTORY OF MEDICINE

Scope & Guideline

Charting the Course of Medicine Through a Social Lens

Introduction

Welcome to the SOCIAL HISTORY OF MEDICINE information hub, where our guidelines provide a wealth of knowledge about the journal’s focus and academic contributions. This page includes an extensive look at the aims and scope of SOCIAL HISTORY OF MEDICINE, highlighting trending and emerging areas of study. We also examine declining topics to offer insight into academic interest shifts. Our curated list of highly cited topics and recent publications is part of our effort to guide scholars, using these guidelines to stay ahead in their research endeavors.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0951-631x
PublisherOXFORD UNIV PRESS
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1988 to 2024
AbbreviationSOC HIST MED / Soc. Hist. Med.
Frequency3 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
AddressGREAT CLARENDON ST, OXFORD OX2 6DP, ENGLAND

Aims and Scopes

The *Social History of Medicine* journal is dedicated to exploring the interplay between social contexts and medical practices throughout history. It emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, drawing from history, sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies to examine how medical knowledge, health practices, and societal norms have evolved over time.
  1. Interdisciplinary Historical Analysis:
    The journal promotes a comprehensive understanding of medicine by integrating historical narratives with sociological and anthropological perspectives, focusing on how these disciplines inform one another.
  2. Global Health Perspectives:
    It emphasizes the global dimensions of health and medicine, exploring how historical events, policies, and practices impact health outcomes across different cultures and societies.
  3. Focus on Marginalized Voices:
    The journal highlights the experiences and contributions of marginalized groups in medicine, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities, thus broadening the scope of medical history.
  4. Critical Examination of Medical Practices:
    Papers often critique historical and contemporary medical practices, addressing issues of ethics, power dynamics, and the socio-political implications of health interventions.
  5. Exploration of Medical Technologies and Innovations:
    The journal investigates the historical development of medical technologies and innovations, analyzing their impacts on societal health and individual experiences.
  6. Cultural Representations of Health:
    It examines how health and illness are represented in various cultural forms, including literature, art, and media, revealing the complex ways in which cultural narratives shape health perceptions.
The *Social History of Medicine* journal has shown a dynamic evolution in its thematic focus, with several emerging trends reflecting contemporary issues in health and medicine. The following themes are gaining prominence in recent publications.
  1. Impact of Global Pandemics:
    Recent publications increasingly address the historical and social implications of global pandemics, particularly COVID-19, reflecting a contemporary urgency to understand the socio-political responses to health crises.
  2. Intersectionality in Health:
    There is a growing emphasis on intersectional analyses that explore how various identities (e.g., gender, race, class) intersect to shape health experiences and outcomes, highlighting the complexities of health equity.
  3. Environmental Health Histories:
    Emerging research is focusing on the historical relationships between environmental factors and health, exploring how environmental changes have influenced disease patterns and public health responses.
  4. Mental Health Narratives:
    Recent papers are increasingly concerned with the social history of mental health, examining institutional practices, societal perceptions, and the evolution of mental health care over time.
  5. Medical Ethics and Policy:
    There is a rising interest in the historical perspectives on medical ethics and public health policies, particularly in relation to issues of equity, access, and justice in healthcare.
  6. Digital Humanities in Medical History:
    The use of digital tools and methodologies to analyze historical health data and narratives is gaining traction, indicating a trend towards integrating technology into the study of medical history.

Declining or Waning

While *Social History of Medicine* continues to evolve, certain themes have become less prominent in recent publications, indicating a shift in scholarly focus. The following areas have seen a decline in attention over the recent years.
  1. Traditional Medical Practices:
    There has been a noticeable decline in studies focusing exclusively on traditional medical practices in isolation from broader socio-political contexts, suggesting a shift towards more integrated historical narratives.
  2. Historical Biographies of Medical Figures:
    Papers centered solely on biographical accounts of prominent medical figures are less frequent, indicating a shift towards collective histories and social movements rather than individual narratives.
  3. Narrow Historical Timeframes:
    Research that focuses on very specific historical periods without connecting to broader themes or contemporary implications is becoming less common, as the journal encourages more expansive and integrative approaches.
  4. Descriptive Histories of Medical Institutions:
    There is a waning interest in purely descriptive histories of medical institutions, as the journal increasingly favors critical analyses that explore the socio-political implications of these institutions.
  5. Limited Geographical Focus:
    Studies concentrating solely on Western medical history without comparative or global perspectives are less prevalent, reflecting a growing interest in transnational and cross-cultural analyses.

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