Using Literature to Using Literature to Teach Social Justice Teach Social Justice and Activism and Activism Martin Donohoe Martin Donohoe
Dec 13, 2015
Using Literature to Teach Using Literature to Teach Social Justice and ActivismSocial Justice and Activism
Martin DonohoeMartin Donohoe
William Butler YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats
““Education is not filling a Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire”bucket, but lighting a fire”
StoriesStories
PerspectivesPerspectives
Tumbling in the HayTumbling in the Hay
Oliver St John GogartyOliver St John Gogarty
An Old HorseAn Old Horse
William J KornrichWilliam J Kornrich
Background/RationaleBackground/Rationale
Social, economic and cultural contributors to Social, economic and cultural contributors to health of individuals and populations under-health of individuals and populations under-emphasized in health professions curriculaemphasized in health professions curricula
Schism between medicine and public healthSchism between medicine and public health Students idealistic/motivated, but grow Students idealistic/motivated, but grow
increasingly cynical and develop increasingly cynical and develop negative/defeatist attitudes as training negative/defeatist attitudes as training progressesprogresses
Harvey CushingHarvey Cushing
““A physician is obligated to A physician is obligated to consider more than a consider more than a diseased organ, more even diseased organ, more even than the whole man. He than the whole man. He must view the man in his must view the man in his world.”world.”
The Role of LiteratureThe Role of Literature
Vicarious experienceVicarious experience Explore diverse philosophiesExplore diverse philosophies Promotes empathy, critical thinking, Promotes empathy, critical thinking,
flexibility, non-dogmatism, self-flexibility, non-dogmatism, self-knowledgeknowledge
Encourages creative thinkingEncourages creative thinking Allows for group discussion/debateAllows for group discussion/debate
Why Use LiteratureWhy Use Literature
Encourage appreciation of non-medical Encourage appreciation of non-medical literatureliterature
Develop reading, analytical, speaking Develop reading, analytical, speaking and writing skillsand writing skills
Promote ethical thinking (narrative Promote ethical thinking (narrative ethics)ethics)
Identification with doctor authors (e.g., Identification with doctor authors (e.g., Keats, Chekhov, Maugham, Williams)Keats, Chekhov, Maugham, Williams)
EnjoyableEnjoyable
Margaret SangerMargaret Sanger
Books have been to me Books have been to me what gold is to the miser, what gold is to the miser, what new fields are to the what new fields are to the explorer.explorer.
Rudolph VirchowRudolph Virchow
““You can soon become so engrossed You can soon become so engrossed in study, then professional cares, in in study, then professional cares, in getting and spending…that you find getting and spending…that you find too late with hearts given away that too late with hearts given away that there is no place in your habit-there is no place in your habit-stricken souls for those gentler stricken souls for those gentler influences that make life worth influences that make life worth living”living”
Uses of LiteratureUses of Literature
PedagogyPedagogy TherapyTherapy PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis Promote communicationPromote communication
GoalsGoals
Educate students and practitioners Educate students and practitioners about social justice issuesabout social justice issues Highly motivatedHighly motivated
Counter negative attitudinal Counter negative attitudinal changes and cynicism of traineeschanges and cynicism of trainees
Provoke thoughtful discussion Provoke thoughtful discussion about ethical and policy issues about ethical and policy issues related to social justicerelated to social justice
GoalsGoals
Promote activist-oriented research Promote activist-oriented research and writingand writing
Translate knowledge into practice Translate knowledge into practice through volunteerism and servicethrough volunteerism and service
Encourage lifelong, interdisciplinary Encourage lifelong, interdisciplinary learning and collegial practicelearning and collegial practice
IssuesIssues
Access to careAccess to care
Racial, sexual and SES Racial, sexual and SES discrepancies in outcomesdiscrepancies in outcomes
The effects of poverty on healthThe effects of poverty on health
IssuesIssues
Violence against womenViolence against women
Human subject experimentationHuman subject experimentation
Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradation
War, peace and human rightsWar, peace and human rights
IssuesIssues
HomelessnessHomelessness Substance abuseSubstance abuse Tobacco industryTobacco industry Privacy:Privacy:
Genetic testingGenetic testing Drug testingDrug testing
IssuesIssues
Corporatization of academic and Corporatization of academic and clinical medicineclinical medicine
The pharmaceutical and tobacco The pharmaceutical and tobacco industriesindustries
Conflicts of interest / Role Conflicts of interest / Role responsibilitiesresponsibilities
Where and When to TeachWhere and When to Teach
Elective coursesElective courses Incorporation into existing curriculaIncorporation into existing curricula Service learning; community-based Service learning; community-based
teachingteaching Ethics and Humanities Grand Ethics and Humanities Grand
RoundsRounds Interdisciplinary seminarsInterdisciplinary seminars
Where and When to TeachWhere and When to Teach
Clinical teaching roundsClinical teaching rounds Including at the bedsideIncluding at the bedside
Reading groupsReading groups Summer research/service stipendsSummer research/service stipends
Faculty developmentFaculty development
StigmatizationStigmatization
John UpdikeJohn Updike
““From the Journal of a Leper.”From the Journal of a Leper.”
Am J Dermatopathol Am J Dermatopathol 1982;4(2):137-421982;4(2):137-42
HomelessnessHomelessness
Doris LessingDoris Lessing
““An Old Woman and Her Cat”An Old Woman and Her Cat”
From the Doris Lessing Reader (New From the Doris Lessing Reader (New York: Knopf, 1988)York: Knopf, 1988)
Human Subject Human Subject Experimentation / Human Experimentation / Human
Rights AbusesRights AbusesShusaku EndoShusaku Endo
The Sea and PoisonThe Sea and Poison
(New York: Taplinger Publishing Co., (New York: Taplinger Publishing Co., 1972)1972)
PovertyPoverty
Orwell, George. Orwell, George. How the Poor DieHow the Poor Die. . In Sonia In Sonia Orwell and Ian Angus, eds. Orwell and Ian Angus, eds. The Collected Essays, The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letter of George Orwell, IV; In Front of Journalism and Letter of George Orwell, IV; In Front of Your Nose,Your Nose, 1945-1950. New York: Harcourt, Brace and 1945-1950. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc: pp.223-233.World, Inc: pp.223-233.
Checkhov, Anton. Checkhov, Anton. Letter to AF KoniLetter to AF Koni, January , January 26, 1891,26, 1891, Letter to AS Survivor Letter to AS Survivor, March 9, 1890. , March 9, 1890. In Norman Cousins, ed. In Norman Cousins, ed. The Physician in Literature The Physician in Literature PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia: WB Saunders, 1982. : WB Saunders, 1982.
Eighner, Lars. Phlebitis: At the Public Hospital. Eighner, Lars. Phlebitis: At the Public Hospital. In In Travels with LizbethTravels with Lizbeth. New York: St. Martin’s Press, . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993.1993.
Chekhov on SakhalinChekhov on Sakhalin
““Sakhalin is a place of Sakhalin is a place of unbearable sufferings…[W]e unbearable sufferings…[W]e have let millions of people rot have let millions of people rot in prison, destroying them in prison, destroying them carelessly, thoughtlessly, carelessly, thoughtlessly, barbarously”barbarously”
Chekhov on SakhalinChekhov on Sakhalin
““A woman on Sakhalin is not A woman on Sakhalin is not exactly a human being…and not exactly a human being…and not exactly a creature even lower exactly a creature even lower than a domestic animal, but than a domestic animal, but somewhere between the two.”somewhere between the two.”
““[A]ll of us [are to blame]”[A]ll of us [are to blame]”
Fyodor DostoevskyFyodor Dostoevsky
““A society should be A society should be judged not by how it treats judged not by how it treats its outstanding citizens but its outstanding citizens but by how it treats its by how it treats its criminals”criminals”
Race and Access to CareRace and Access to Care
Ernest J GainesErnest J Gaines
““The Sky is Gray”The Sky is Gray”
in Gray, Marion Secundy, ed. in Gray, Marion Secundy, ed. Trials,Tribulations, Trials,Tribulations, and Celebrations: African American and Celebrations: African American Perspectives on Health, Illness, Aging and LossPerspectives on Health, Illness, Aging and Loss. . Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, 1992Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, 1992
Mental IllnessMental Illness
Anton ChekhovAnton Chekhov
Ward Number SixWard Number Six
in Chekhov A. Seven short novels (New York: in Chekhov A. Seven short novels (New York: Bantam, 1976)Bantam, 1976)
Conflicting Responsibilities of Conflicting Responsibilities of PhysiciansPhysicians
Pearl S. BuckPearl S. Buck
““The Enemy”The Enemy”
In Far and Near: Stories of Japan, China, and In Far and Near: Stories of Japan, China, and America America (New York: The John Day (New York: The John Day Company, 1934)Company, 1934)
Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence
Michael LaCombeMichael LaCombe
““Playing God”Playing God”
In LaCombe M, ed. On Being a Doctor. In LaCombe M, ed. On Being a Doctor. Philadelphia: American College of Philadelphia: American College of Physicians, 1994Physicians, 1994
Single Motherhood / The Single Motherhood / The Welfare SystemWelfare System
Grace PaleyGrace Paley
““An Interest in Life”An Interest in Life”
In In We are the Stories We Tell: The Best Short We are the Stories We Tell: The Best Short Stories by North American Women since Stories by North American Women since 19451945, Wendy Martin, ed. (New York: , Wendy Martin, ed. (New York: Pantheon Books, 1990)Pantheon Books, 1990)
The Humanities and Social The Humanities and Social SciencesSciences
LiteratureLiterature ArtArt HistoryHistory LawLaw PhilosophyPhilosophy PhotographyPhotography
e.g., Margaret Sanger, W Eugene Smithe.g., Margaret Sanger, W Eugene Smith OthersOthers
““Activist” JournalsActivist” Journals
American Journal of Public HealthAmerican Journal of Public Health Public Citizen’s Health LetterPublic Citizen’s Health Letter PNHP NewsletterPNHP Newsletter Mother JonesMother Jones HarpersHarpers Z Magazine, The Progressive, In These Z Magazine, The Progressive, In These
TimesTimes Dollars and SenseDollars and Sense
““Activist” JournalsActivist” Journals
Rachel’s Environmental WeeklyRachel’s Environmental Weekly Bulletin of Atomic ScientistsBulletin of Atomic Scientists Multinational MonitorMultinational Monitor Hightower LowdownHightower Lowdown Some articles in NEJM, JAMA, JGIM, Some articles in NEJM, JAMA, JGIM,
SSM, Policy, Politics, and Nurs Prac, SSM, Policy, Politics, and Nurs Prac, othersothers
Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources
NYU Literature and Medicine On-line NYU Literature and Medicine On-line DatabaseDatabasehttp://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/lit-med/lit-mehttp://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/lit-med/lit-med-db/topview.htmld-db/topview.html
Public Citizen’s Health Research Group – Public Citizen’s Health Research Group – Activist-oriented coursesActivist-oriented courseshttp://http://
www.citizen.org/hrg/activistcour/index.cfwww.citizen.org/hrg/activistcour/index.cfmm
On-line syllabus exchange projects – e.g., On-line syllabus exchange projects – e.g., ASBHASBH
Syllabi, reading lists available from MDSyllabi, reading lists available from MD
Rudolph VirchowRudolph Virchow
Father of pathologyFather of pathology Established cell doctrine, elucidated Established cell doctrine, elucidated
pathology of thrombosis, PE, pathology of thrombosis, PE, leukocytosis, and leukemialeukocytosis, and leukemia
Member of Prussian state and local Member of Prussian state and local government for over 30 yearsgovernment for over 30 years
Founded Journal “Medical Reform”Founded Journal “Medical Reform”
Rudolph VirchowRudolph Virchow
AdvocatedAdvocatedPublic provision of medical Public provision of medical care for indigentcare for indigent
Prohibition of child laborProhibition of child laborUniversal educationUniversal educationFree and unlimited democracyFree and unlimited democracy
Rudolph VirchowRudolph Virchow
Instituted programs forInstituted programs for Improved sanitationImproved sanitationStricter food inspectionStricter food inspectionRevamping ineffective Revamping ineffective hospital policieshospital policies
Enhanced nursing educationEnhanced nursing education
Rudolph VirchowRudolph Virchow
““Typhus, cholera, tuberculosis, Typhus, cholera, tuberculosis, scurvy, some mental diseases, scurvy, some mental diseases, and cretinism [are among] and cretinism [are among] those maladies that result those maladies that result from the unequal distribution from the unequal distribution of civilization’s advantages”of civilization’s advantages”
Rudolph VirchowRudolph Virchow
““Doctors are natural Doctors are natural attorneys for the poor … attorneys for the poor … If medicine is to really If medicine is to really accomplish its great task, accomplish its great task, it must intervene in it must intervene in political and social life…”political and social life…”
GGüünter Grassnter Grass
““The first job of a citizen The first job of a citizen is to keep your mouth is to keep your mouth open.”open.”
First They Came for the First They Came for the JewsJews
Pastor NiemollerPastor Niemoller
Contact InformationContact Information
Public Health and Social Justice Public Health and Social Justice WebsiteWebsite
http://www.phsj.orghttp://www.phsj.org
[email protected]@phsj.org