Medical anthropology conference
An international and interdisciplinary forum
Medica XIV
65th Annual Kreutzwald Days of
the Estonian Literary Museum
Video recording of the conference:
Day 1st (December 15, 2021)
Day 2nd (December 16, 2021)
We expect your presentations for the hybrid conference under the heading
Highway to Hell? at the Estonian Literary Museum and in MS Teams
on 15 and 16 December. The conference is a joint event of the medical
anthropology conference Medica and the annual Kreutzwald Days of
the Estonian Literary Museum.
The conference focuses on individuals and communities situation under
the changing political, economic, and cultural circumstances. Above all,
we are interested in the changes that could be interpreted as degradation
from one point of view or another. The heading of the conference,
Highway to Hell, refers to the song by AC/DC from 1979 with the same
heading, which talks about an individuals conscious choice of degradation.
To what extent and how is this individual choice compatible to today,
to what extent can the metaphor be generalized against the communal-social
background, and from whose point of view? Or maybe there is another metaphor
to describe the situation?
We expect your presentations on the following topics or those related to the starting point of the conference:
- Crises and adaptation: influence of changes on behaviour and self-assessment, self-image and others opinions;
- Fading or loss of mental and physical abilities: how it is accepted in the community, culture, on individual level; influence of isolation on human relationships and mental health
- Alcohol and drugs: inspiration for creative work, possibility to get special experience, medication, national pride, imperativeness, illness and healing experience.
- Different reference points and theories related to health and illness, arising from information flood, conspiracy theories about illnesses.
- Cognitive dissonance or mental discomfort in the case of conflicting situations, contradictory beliefs, stereotypes, values, and stances.
- Consequences of the compatibility/polarity of various health recommendations.
- Metaphors and images related to degradation in different eras.
We expect presentations dedicated to different eras and cultural contexts.
The working languages of the conference are Estonian and English.
Please inform us about your wish to participate with a presentation by 1 December;
the deadline for abstracts is 10 December (contact Anne Ostrak: anne.ostrak@folklore.ee)
Organizer: The conference is organized by the Department of Folkloristics of the Estonian Literary Museum and the Centre of Excellence in Estonian Studies.
Credits: European Union Euroopa Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence in Estonian Studies)
Contacts:
Mare Kiva: mare@folklore.ee
Anne Ostrak: anne.ostrak@folklore.ee
the Estonian Literary Museum, the Department of Folkloristics of the Estonian Literary Museum and the Centre of Excellence in Estonian Studies, 2021
15.- 16. December 2021