HIST 20135. THE HISTORY OF PAIN Pain is deeply embedded in every society and is an inescapable experience of human existence, but there are many differences in how we express, identify, manage and find meaning in pain. Understanding how various traditions understand and express pain presents the possibility for greater empathy and understanding between cultures and across time. Therefore, we will treat pain not only as an intimate physical, mental and spiritual condition of the individual but also as a site of cultural expressions with intricate webs of personal and social implications. We will explore pain experiences in medicine, law, literature, religion and popular culture. We will attempt to make sense of the continuities and changes in the representations and expressions of pain in global history. Readings will paired to allow for cross-cultural comparisons. [HSS, W, GE, SJ, D]
- Διδάσκων: Wee Siang Margaret Ng