Manchester University Press Communicating the History of Medicine: Perspectives on Audiences and Impact: 31 (Social Histories of Medicine)

This collection explores the history of medicine’s relationships with its audiences, from the early twentieth century to the present. Throughout, the authors discuss how historians of medicine and other humanities disciplines have interacted with – and impacted – their audiences. Topics examined across the ten chapters include medical education, policy making, exhibitions and museums, and film and television. Historians have always interacted with a variety of audiences and there is a common desire for research to appeal to broader audiences with impact beyond the humanities. For historians of medicine, these often include: government committees and commissions dealing with ethical issues in biomedicine; journalists asking for historical perspectives on new medical discoveries – as well as abuses and controversies; museum curators and visitors; healthcare practitioners and students and sometimes even medical researchers utilising historical material. By examining a range of case studies on academic outreach, Communicating the history of medicine seeks to challenge the idea that communication between researchers and their audiences is unidirectional. By employing a media theoretical perspective, this volume discusses how historians can create impact with audiences for academic knowledge production via ‘audiencing’.