University of Heidelberg

Outline and Themes

I. Outline

This workshop aims to offer different perspectives on how birth and the health problems related to it were conceptualized and practically dealt with in pre-modern times. Under the loose label of “pre-modern”, we intend to present a picture of the medical spheres on birth and women’s health in the ancient Near East, Indo-Iranian, Graeco-Roman and East-Asian systems.

The “pre-modern” here refers to that expanded set of multiple spatial, chronological and cultural conditions in which, through a variety of media, the human agents had learnt, transmitted and practiced medicine before (or in parallel to) the implementation of the historical scientific discourses that were to make a base for the present Western modes of interpretation. The role played by writing and the production of cultural knowledge in the whole process of conceptualizing, understanding, learning, and managing the complex experience of birth, therefore, will be a key element in the articulation of the whole thematic programme of the workshop.

By this, we believe we will be able to bring together different perspectives, traditions, concepts, and practices regarding a common human experience, as well as to enliven the historical discussion by enlarging the cultural settings considered.  

II. Themes

The papers presented at the workshop should ideally refer to some of these points, and the speakers are warmly requested to bear in mind the historical questions here proposed when engaging in the discussion.  

Sources

• Production of knowledge regarding birth and women’s health: how and where is knowledge produced, and who is engaged in the process? Through what mechanisms is knowledge gained, adopted and adapted? Which patterns are followed in the processes of transmission of knowledge?

• The production of textual knowledge. Text and context: Who writes the texts concerning birth and birth management? For what purpose? How are the texts transmitted? Where are they kept? What is the attitude towards the written text? Should it be divulged or kept from strangers and “not initiates”? Who is the audience of written texts?

• Authoritative and non-authoritative works. Authority and authorship.

• Written text and empiricism. The written and the oral in birth attendance/assistance.

• Relationship between text and image.

 
Attitudes

• What does the moment of birth represent in a specific culture with relation to the concepts of life, death, (im)purity, etc?

• Attitudes towards the female body (also relates to “Management”: who has access to the women’s body?).

• Attitudes towards women in relation to their capacity or incapacity of conceiving and giving birth.

• Divine births and human births.

 
Management

• Health problems that emerge during birth (including considerations regarding aetiology).

• Who takes care of women during birth? How do they take care of them? Are there differences of approach among the various professionals involved?

• Types of intervention (technical manipulation of the body, materia medica employed, rituals and recitations, etc).

• Where does birth take place? Is there a specific room or structure specially allocated for this purpose?

• Before, during, afterwards: conceptualization of time in (the act of giving) birth.

• Management of the newborn.

• Processing of the afterbirth.  

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