Graphic Medicine
What is Graphic Medicine?
"Graphic medicine is the intersection between the medium of comics and the discourse of healthcare" (Ian Williams, 2007).
Basically, it's the use of comics to explore issues in healthcare. The term "graphic" in the name refers to the use of visual imagery, not explicit content.
The comics medium appeals to a wide array of audiences with varying literacy levels, languages, and ages, making them excellent tools for conveying public health information. They can also be used for instructional purposes to educate readers about body systems and diseases in a unique way.
Graphic pathographies (illness narratives in graphic form) are the heart of graphic medicine. Many are memoirs of illness created by the person experiencing the illness, while others are memoirs from the physician/provider and family/caregiver points of view.
Most importantly, by showcasing a lived experience from the patient's perspective, these pathographies give voice to those who are often not heard, and they help the reader gain insight into a person's personal experience of health, illness, caregiving and disability.
*Anything that affects a person's mental or physical health can be expressed through graphic medicine.*
MK Czerwiec, Ian Williams, Susan Merrill Squier, Michael J. Green, Kimberly R. Myers, Scott T. Smith. Graphic Medicine Manifesto. Penn State University Press; 2015.
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Websites to Explore
- Graphic MedicineThe go-to site for graphic medicine. It offers reviews, podcasts, research, conference archives, and the latest on new publications. the site also links to its Spanish, Japanese, and Italian versions.
- Comics with ProblemsCollection of comics from the 40s to the 80s dealing with drugs, public health issues and more.
- Graphic Novels & the Humanity of Mental Illness: An Annotated BibliographyCollection of 46 graphic novels that focus on mental health. Because this is an annotated bibliography, you will also find book summaries, analysis, and recommendations.
- NYU LitMed DatabaseCollection of literature, fine art, visual art and performing arts annotations. A resource for scholars, educators, students, patients, and others interested in medical humanities.
- Annals of Graphic MedicineThis is the graphic medicne section of the Annals of Internal Medicine
- Illustrated PENFiction and nonfiction graphic narratives, comics journalism and illustrated reportage, stories of social justice, and personal stories that can’t be told through words alone
- AMA Journal of EthicsUsing the visual medium of comics, these pieces explore ethical dimensions of health and healthcare.
Graphic Medicine as Topic
- Graphic Medicine Manifesto by Michael J. Green; Kimberly R. Myers; Scott T. Smith; Susan Merrill Squier; Ian Williams; M. K. CzerwiecA vital resource for learning about graphic medicine. Consists of essays on the potential uses and benefits of graphic medicine in medical and health education.
We have both print and e-book versions. - Unflattening by Nick SousanisWeaving together diverse ways of seeing drawn from science, philosophy, art, literature, and mythology, the author uses graphic art to show that perception is always an active process of incorporating and reevaluating different vantage points.
- Graphic Medicine by Erin La Cour (Editor); Anna Poletti (Editor); Craig Howes (Series edited by)Graphic Medicine explores comics artists and scholars of life writing, literature, and comics explore the lived experience of illness and disability through original texts, images, and the dynamic interplay between the two. this collection asks us to consider what it means to give and receive care.
- Last Updated: Dec 3, 2024 7:22 AM
- URL: https://guides.upstate.edu/graphicmedicine
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