Prof. Dr. Livia Prüll

BACKGROUND: Livia-186220x30-2
I am trained in Medicine, History (Modern, Medieval and Ancient) and Philosophy at the University of Giessen, Germany. I obtained my MA at the University of Giessen and my doctoral degree (medicine) at the University of Berlin (Freie Universität). Between 1990 and 1991 I worked as physician at the SCHERING AG in Berlin, thereafter as Medical Historian at the Universities of Aachen, Freiburg and Heidelberg. Since October 2011 I am Professor of History, Theory and Ethics of Medicine at the Medical Faculty of the University of Mainz/Germany. My work focuses on the social and cultural history of 19th and 20th century medicine, especially the history of pathology and pharmacology as well as military medicine and the relationship of medicine and the public in Western Germany after 1945. Furthermore I am working on the history of transidentity and transsexuality.

MY GOAL...
in respect of this project is to look at the narrative of different patient groups re. the discussion of biomedical topics and their meaning for the respective disease or bodily/psychic identity. It is aimed to sort out the influence of specific experiences of these patient groups with medicine and rebound effects on medicine caused by patient claims for changed attitudes and treatments.
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MY CONTRIBUTION...
to this project will be to teach and perform research work at the interface of corporeality, temporality, ability when dealing with the history of diabetes and above all the self-representation of diabetics. Teaching will focus on the diabetics in West-German Society after 1945 as a case study regarding the collective self expression of a patient group and the re-interpretation of bodily conditions as well as the abilities to cope with challenges of German post-war society. Respective changes taking place in these fields during the period between 1945 and 1970 will be discussed. Other topics will include teaching on autobiographies of transsexual persons and the (re-)interpretation of their identity on the background of the process of medicalization of transsexuality since the second half of the 19th century.

CONTACT: Institut für Geschichte, Theorie und Ethik der Medizin