Previous Research Seminars
The Research Centre for Culture and Health explores the connections between culture, health, and illness from a multidisciplinary perspective. It is interested in all aspects of research and education relating to health and culture from pedagogical, narrative, artistic, philosophical, and biosocial perspectives (and many more!).
Research Seminars in Autumn 2025
September 9, Meet the Team
Find out about the research, teaching and expertise in the Centre for Culture and Health at the University of Turku.
October 7, Testimony & Trauma
Oleksandra Nenko, University of Turku “Processing the Trauma of Displacement in Wartime Arts”
Anna Derksen, Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities “Literature as Testimony: Forced Sterilisation and Medical Transgression in Kjell Sundstedt’s Till Gertrud (2009)”
November 4, Kieli & kulttuuri (in Finnish)
Jani Tanskanen, Jyväskylän yliopisto “Kirjallisuudentutkimuksen näkökulmia kulttuurin diagnostisoitumiseen”
Iida Räty, Turun yliopisto “Vertaiskerronnan vernakulaari hoiva ja tuki”
December 9, Arts & Humanities in the Clinic
Carrie Foulkes, University of Glasgow “Flux and Fragility: Language, Embodiment and Mortality in the work of Deborah Hay”
Kerry Marshall, University of British Columbia “Use of Collage to Explore Discourses Related to Contraceptive Care in British Columbia, Canada”
Research Seminars in Spring 2024
JANUARY 16, 2024
Anna Ovaska, Tampere University
“Reading Chronic Pain: Narrative and (In)Visibility”
Henni Alava, Tampere University
“Finnish Sisu, Finnish Pain: What (if anything) is Culturally Specific in Pediatric Pain and its Care in Finland?”
FEBRUARY 13, 2024
Per Mendoza, University of Turku
“Isolated Narratives? Narrative Ethics, Affectivity, and Spatiality in Johanna Holmström’s Själarnas ö”
Mathieu Bokestael, University College Dublin
“What is a Caring Historiography? Lessons from Sarah Moss’ Night Waking (2011)”
MARCH 12, 2024
Keith Meadows, Health Outcomes Insights Ltd
“Explaining Cause in a Single Case Response to Patient-Reported Outcomes Data: Quality of Life Research”
Luis de Miranda, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku
“Philosophical Health: Thinking as a Way of Healing”
Kateri(y)na Filatova, University of Turku
“Cell-transforming structure-dependent properties of biomaterials on the example of the osteogenic induction of silica-polylactic acid-based composites”
APRIL 9, 2024
Johanna Jämsä, University of Turku
“Nature’s Eudaimonic Wellbeing Benefits, and When Nature Doesn’t Help: Using Creative Methods to Grasp Deep Values of Nature”
Ranjana Saha, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku
“Milk, Nation, and Empire: ‘Scientific’ Motherhood Advice in Colonial Calcutta”
MAY 14, 2024
A Current Intersections of Culture, Language and Wellbeing Seminar
Christina Slopek-Hauff, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
“Against Psychiatric Imperialism: Diversifying Psychology in African Fiction”
Silja McNamara, Tampere University
“The Effect of Dance Movement Therapy Interventions on the Quality of Life and Body Image of Bereaved Widows/Widowers”
Pauline Norris, Va’a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health – University of Otago
“Working With, and For, Indigenous People in Research: Experiences From New Zealand”