Tuesday 13th May | 6pm
Disease and Community in Antiquity and Beyond
Presented by Dr Chiara Blanco
The talk explores issues of isolation and stigmatisation as a consequence of disease from antiquity to today. The Greek hero Philoctetes faced social exclusion because he had a chronic, painful and foul-smelling wound sustained in an encounter with the snake that guarded a scared sanctuary. Taking this story as a starting point, Dr Blanco will delve into what it is that leads to the exile of an individual from their social setting. She will demonstrate that what we observe in the Philoctetes, can be easily identified in contemporary society where stigmatisation because of disease is still common, despite complex social structures having been created to tackle it. Are our contemporary "socially difficult" patients more visible than Philoctetes? Or are we still following the same path of dissociating ourselves from disease through our modern notions of care and/or prolonged hospitalisation?
Dr Blanco has lectured in Classics at Newcastle University and at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh. She was a Research Lecturer in the Latin Language and Literature department at Trinity College, Oxford, and Lecturer in Classics at Exeter College. She has also taught Classics at the University of Cambridge and Durham University. Her main research interests lie in the intersections between ancient literature (Greek tragedy and Ovid in particular) and medicine, and she is interested in the role of the senses and emotions in Greek and Roman culture.
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A LIVE Event at the Lit & Phil | FREE
Most events are free and take place at the Lit & Phil unless otherwise stated. Where there is a ticket charge, those on unemployment benefit and students are free.
Age recommendation for all events is 12 years+
All events must be booked in advance unless otherwise stated. Except for the ClassicsFest Competition Finale at Alphabetti Theatre.
(If you would prefer to book directly over the phone, please call the Library Desk team on 0191 232 0192 and they will be happy to help)
