The September edition of the IMH newsletter is now live! Catch up on the latest news, events, research and opportunities from across our community at Durham University. mailchi.mp/durham.ac.uk...

If you've been thinking what ReaderBank's been up to, does this haiku help?

In sunny Salford, quizzes and poems galore. And you, on your way?

Survey reminder! If you've ever read or written for @the-polyphony.bsky.social, the team are still keen to hear your views on the site and any connections, ideas and opportunities that may have emerged through the experience. Take part today: durhamuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

A warm welcome to Prof. Alison Downham Moore from @westernsydneyu.bsky.social, who joins us as a Visiting Scholar this week! Find out more about Alison: medhumsplatform.org/welcome-to-v...

Last chance to get tickets for ReaderBank at BBC Contains Strong Language in Salford this week (25–27 September)! Find out how poetry engages the imagination and what kind of reader you are at our interactive workshop and drop-in sessions. 👉 medhumsplatform.org/readerbank-a...

A warm welcome to Palak Daga, who joins the IMH as our new Communications Intern. We're looking forward to working with you, Palak! www.durham.ac.uk/research/ins...

Welcome to Palak Daga - Durham University

durham.ac.uk

New open access book! 'Neurodiversity and the Contemporary in the 21st Century Novel' by Nicola Simonetti sheds light on the intersections between neurodiversity, literature and the growing field of Contemporary Studies. Find out more: medhumsplatform.org/new-publicat...

Congratulations to @danielpjones.bsky.social, who has been awarded a prestigious Wellcome Early-Career Award to transform understandings of Tourette Syndrome. 🎉 Find out more about Daniel’s project: www.durham.ac.uk/research/ins...

Daniel Jones Award - Durham University

durham.ac.uk

How do bodies know? Join us in Durham on October 6 for a full-day workshop exploring embodied and relational forms of knowing in therapeutic and qualitative research settings. 📝 Register below:

Engaging the “ineffable” in Therapeutic Practice and Qualitative Research

An experimental workshop examining embodied and relational forms of knowing in therapeutic and qualitative research settings.

eventbrite.co.uk

Have you ever read or written for @the-polyphony.bsky.social? We've launched a short survey to help shape The Polyphony's future and would love to hear from you about any opportunities, ideas, or connections that came from your experiences of the site. 📝 Take part here: tinyurl.com/polyphony-26

I blogged for the EPIC project about social contagion and epistemic injustice, the dangers of under-researched but persuasive theories, and how people who self-harm are left on the periphery of knowledge-making about their own lives: epistemicinjusticeinhealthcareproject.blogspot.com/2026/09/cont...

Contagion’s complexities: When persuasive theory takes priority

epistemicinjusticeinhealthcareproject.blogspot.com

Here, Emily Davis, Gabriela Minden and I reflect in @the-polyphony.bsky.social on what dance can teach us about health and knowledge: whose movements are valued in research? Thanks to the @durhamimh.bsky.social for supporting the event! #Dance #MedicalHumanities thepolyphony.org/2026/09/07/d...

Dance and the critical medical humanities

Emily Davis, Daniel P Jones, and Gabriela Minden reflect on the potential of dance in the critical medical humanities following their one-day event ‘Dancing Across Disciplines’ held at Durham Unive…

thepolyphony.org

Our third Medical Humanities PhD Summer School in collaboration with the Centre for Medical Humanities and Bioethics at Linköping University was a huge success! 👉Find out more about how we explored interdisciplinary & cross-sector perspectives on bodies and embodiment: tinyurl.com/PhD-School-2...

Don't miss @thereaderbank.bsky.social at BBC Contains Strong Language in Salford later this month! Join us on 25–27 September to explore how poetry engages the imagination in different and surprising ways at our workshop and drop-in sessions. Find out more: medhumsplatform.org/readerbank-a...

In this age of AI, how can the medical humanities shape digitisation, and how are digital technologies shaping emerging medical practices? Join us on 16 Sept for a free day of talks and panels, hosted by our AI and Medical Humanities research strand. Register👇 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-world-b...

AI World-building and the Medical Humanities

In this age of AI, how can the medical humanities shape digitisation, and how are digital technologies shaping emerging medical practices?

eventbrite.co.uk

Moving Bodies Lab Lead @cassie-phoenix.bsky.social delivered the Sir Derek Birley memorial lecture at the British Society of Sports History 2026 Annual Conference last week to an international audience at the University of Edinburgh. Read our news story 👇 medhumsplatform.org/sir-derek-bi...

That’s a wrap on #ReaderBank at the @edbookfest.bsky.social! 📚✨ Two brilliant days in the Discovery Zone talking with young readers and teachers about what happens in our imaginations when we read: how characters sound, stories feel, and whole worlds take shape.

We’ve had such interesting discussions today about how characters sound, stories feel and worlds look in our minds when we read. We’re still buzzing with excitement after today, and can’t wait to tell you what comes next! If you don’t know what your Reader Type is yet, head over to readerbank.org

If you’re at the Edinburgh International Book Festival today, come visit us at the Discovery Zone for children in Venue B! We’d love to speak to young readers and teachers about how you imagine when you read... and while you’re at it, come do the quiz and grab a trading card and pretty bookmarks!

The ReaderBank team is on the way to the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 26-27 August! 🔮Find us at the Discovery Zone where we will talk to young readers and schoolteachers about how stories manifest themselves in our imagination when we read.

📢Our Lancet paper on Ambient scribes as narrative technologies is out! @kirstenostherr.bsky.social @literarti.bsky.social @riceuniversity.bsky.social @durhamimh.bsky.social @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social #AcademicSky www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Ambient scribes as narrative technologies

Ambient scribes, also known as artificial intelligence-powered voice-to-text technology, are widely cited as time-saving tools that reduce administrative burden for clinicians. Yet, in their current u...

thelancet.com

A new article in @thelancet.com co-authored by IMH Director Angela Woods calls for caution on the rapid adoption of ‘ambient scribes’ in healthcare – these are AI tools that listen to consultations and automatically generate patient notes. Read more: www.durham.ac.uk/research/ins...

Ambient Scribes as Narrative Technologies - Durham University

durham.ac.uk

How can we better understand inequality in physical activity and health? A recent workshop hosted by IMH researchers explored how Intersectional Conversation Analysis can reveal how identity, power and inequality are negotiated in everyday interactions. Read more: www.durham.ac.uk/research/ins...

Intersectional Conversation Analysis, Physical Activity and the Medical Humanities - Durham University

durham.ac.uk

Our summer newsletter has just hit inboxes! 📨☀️ July's edition shares news from the Platform & IMH, new publications, and articles from @the-polyphony.bsky.social. We’re having a break from our monthly newsletter in August – we will be back in your inboxes in September. mailchi.mp/durham.ac.uk...

IMH newsletter: July 2026

News & updates from the Institute for Medical Humanities, Durham University.

mailchi.mp

Great to see Hearing the Voice – our interdisciplinary study of voice-hearing which ran from 2012–2022 – featured in this important report on interdisciplinary mental health research! www.durham.ac.uk/research/ins...

Inquiry into interdisciplinary mental health research - Durham University

durham.ac.uk

As part of her In Practice Research Fellowship, Dr Estelle Verdi has published a scoping review exploring how creative health approaches may support the mental health and wellbeing of minoritised women following baby loss. Read the article in full 👇 medhumsplatform.org/new-publicat...

New publication from In Practice Research Fellow: Creative health and baby loss in minoritised women

Estelle Verdi has co-authored a scoping review exploring how creative health approaches may support mental health of minoritised women following baby loss.

medhumsplatform.org

Was glad to attend this workshop earlier this week hosted by @durhamimh.bsky.social. Very thought provoking presentations and discussions.

How do we evaluate quality in co-produced research? A new publication co-authored by Kate Marks (Moving Bodies Lab) & Brett Smith (Narrative Practices Lab) explores how quality can be assessed in ways that reflect the values and aims of co-production. Read more 👇 medhumsplatform.org/new-publicat...

New publication: Evaluating quality in co-produced research

What does 'good' co-produced research look like? Kate Marks, Brett Smith and Victor Merino-Expósito explore in this new article for Critical Public Health.

medhumsplatform.org

Last month the IMH held a PhD Showcase event celebrating the diversity and creativity of research in the medical humanities. One of our Postgraduate coordinators has shared a recap of the event and explains the creative feedback process that was used in the panels. www.durham.ac.uk/research/ins...

IMH Postgraduate Researcher Showcase

Last month the IMH held a PhD Showcase afternoon celebrating the diversity and creativity of research in the medical humanities.

durham.ac.uk