Dementia: A Cultural History

Dementia is often designated the “plague” of the twenty-first century. What does a cultural history of dementia reveal about commonly circulating ideas relating to the brain, personhood, embodiment, and normal/abnormal? What difference do “labels” make – “melancholy”, “lunacy”, “dotage”, and “senility”, for example? The lecture uses the historical development of the science of geriatrics to reflect on the experience of ageing and claims about the modern self. A lecture by Joanna Bourke recorded on 11 May 2023 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/ Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/ Website: https://gresham.ac.uk Twitter:   / greshamcollege   Facebook:   / greshamcollege   Instagram:   / greshamcollege