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Matter beginning to matter: On posthumanist understandings of the vital emergence of health

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  • Andrews, Gavin J.
  • Duff, Cameron

Abstract

In recent years much health research across the social sciences and humanities has undergone a noticeable, albeit by no means cohesive or comprehensive, ‘turn’ towards a posthumanist theoretical orientation. This paper reviews the radical ideas about health's emergence that have accompanied this turn, noting the core processes that are understood to always be in play. In particular, while acknowledging that not all humanistic ideas have been rejected in this work, it describes how some have been reworked and extended in 'other-than-fully conscious' and 'more-than-human' terms. The paper assesses and synthesizes this diverse literature, emphasising the novel understandings of corporeality, materiality, assemblage, relationality, vitality and affect that have become distinctive features of it.

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  • Andrews, Gavin J. & Duff, Cameron, 2019. "Matter beginning to matter: On posthumanist understandings of the vital emergence of health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 123-134.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:226:y:2019:i:c:p:123-134
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.02.045
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Hooker, Claire & Hor, Suyin & Wyer, Mary & Gilbert, Gwendolyn L. & Jorm, Christine & Iedema, Rick, 2020. "Trajectories of hospital infection control: Using non-representational theory to understand and improve infection prevention and control," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    10. Wiltshire, Gareth & Pullen, Emma & Brown, Frankie F. & Osborn, Mike & Wexler, Sarah & Beresford, Mark & Tooley, Mark & Turner, James E., 2020. "The experiences of cancer patients within the material hospital environment: Three ways that materiality is affective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
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