HSOC 039 The Healer's Tale: Negotiating Trust in Modern America
Offered:Fall 2009
Tighe R 1:30-4:30
Freshman Seminar
What makes you a healer? Is it what you know? Is it what you do? Is it the trust placed in you by those who seek healing? Is it the power vested in you by the state? Rarely in contemporary debate do we speak of healing power in such terms, instead we talk of such things as licenses, educational credentials, peer review and when we are in a darker mood quacks, and malpractice.
How have individuals in the United States laid claim to the authority that is necessary for assuming the role of healer? The answers to these questions have changed dramatically over the last century and have involved intense negotiations between various interested parties, not the least of whom are the persons seeking healing. In addition, such powerful disciplines as science, medicine and the law have been involved in these discussions. By examining the history of these negotiations, with some forays into literature, film and popular culture, a healer’s tale will emerge. As it does, we will gain a clearer understanding of the fundamental socio-economic and cultural patterns that have shaped the American culture of healing.
