The pathologies of modernity and the remedies from humanities

• Grant number: 11/50584-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2011
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Specific topics in Education
• Agreement: King's College London
• Principal Investigator: Dante Marcello Claramonte Gallian
• Grantee: Dante Marcello Claramonte Gallian
• Principal researcher abroad: Brian Hurwitz
• Institution abroad: King's College London, England
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The FAPESP project, based in the Centre of Health Sciences History and Philosophy (CeHFi), Federal University of Sao Paulo, is entitled "The Pathologies of Modernity and the Remedies from Humanities." (from the original, in Portuguese - "As Patologias da Modernidade e os Remédios das Humanidades: investigação e experimentação" - FAPESP n. 2010/50448-0). The aim is to consider the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings for the current policies and programmes of medical humanities education and research in the field of the health sciences. The project is structured around two main areas of activity: an analysis of the different ways of understanding the concept of humanism in contemporary science, society and culture; an examination of the role of the humanities as a tool for "humanising" in the health sciences, through the qualitative analysis of a specific educational initiative, the "Humanities Laboratery" run at CeHFi. This project will engage with the issues of how "dehumanisation" may be seen as a "pathological symptom" of modernity and, also, to what extent the humanities may be presented as a "remedy" or a means of humanising the health sciences and practices. As it has been approved by FAPESP in September'2010, such "The Pathologies of Modernity and the Remedies from Humanities: research and experiment" project is in its initial phase of development; however, there have been many objects whose results already started to be realised. In addition to the development of an empirical research project, along with data collection reports, this given research project is helping consolidate a research field at CeHFi; as it has already stimulated undergraduate scientific studies (one which has already been approved for funding and another which is being evaluated, both by FAPESP), and graduate projects (both at masters and doctorate level), all of which are also supported by both the Humanities laboratory and the FAPESP Regular Grant as a subject of study. This exchange proposal builds on its current potential for a fruitful collaboration emerging from existing contact, established in January this year, with the director (Professor Brian Hurwitz) and other researchers from the Centre for Humanities and Health from King's College London, resulting from a short visit made by the researcher responsible for such project at FAPESP (Dante Marcello Claramonte Gallian). This laid the grounds for further in-depth exchange with both departments in collaborative alignment. The trip confirmed that researchers from the CHH (KCL) would make a positive contribution to the development of the project conducted by the group from CeHFi (UNIFESP), especially for the Humanities Laboratory. In addition, the presence of researchers from CeHFi (UNIFESP) - graduate students and lecturers/researchers involved in the project - at the activities conducted by CHH (KCL), especially its in-depth theoretical debates, would help strengthen the epistemological foundations of the given project. (AU)