Health Histories
The Health Histories research group examines the social and cultural history of health and medicine.

Health Histories
Our research
What is ‘health’ and what did it mean to be ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ in the past? How have people’s responses to ill-health changed over time, place, and historical context? How does the history of health intersect with things like race, gender, class, sexual orientation, age, and other characteristics and identities?
This research group is interested in histories of health that take historical enquiry beyond histories of medicine or medical treatments towards understandings of health that are broad, diverse, and wide-ranging. Associated members research topics across historical periods, from the medieval to contemporary, and across global geographies and cultures
Our expertise
Discover our subject specialists who lead our research - from postgraduate research students to internationally-renowned academic staff.
More on Our expertiseOur projects
Explore our research projects directory to discover past and present research activity.
More on Our projects
Funding success for new research on 'The Soviet Union, the World Health Organization, and Global Health, 1957-1991'
Dr Rob Hornsby has received a Discovery Award worth nearly £1 million from…
Tuesday 20 May 2025
More on Funding success for new research on 'The Soviet Union, the World Health Organization, and Global Health, 1957-1991'
First episode of the Global Health Histories Podcast now live
The Global Health Histories podcast series seeks to enhance understanding of…
Tuesday 18 March 2025
More on First episode of the Global Health Histories Podcast now live
Welcome to Dr Priyanka Tripathi: Research spotlight
Dr Tripathi is the School of History's Charles Wallace India Trust visiting…
Thursday 6 February 2025
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Living with the Dead: Professor Laura King on her new book
Living with the Dead: Memories, Histories, and the Stories Families Tell in…
Thursday 30 January 2025
More on Living with the Dead: Professor Laura King on her new bookWorkshop: Navigating the overseas academic job market
A workshop for PGRs and ECRs offered by the School of History's Politics, Diplomacy and International History research group.
Wednesday 15 October 2025, 16:00 - 17:00 | Events
More on Workshop: Navigating the overseas academic job marketResearch seminar: Indigestible: Wartime food substitutes and nutrition in First World War Germany
Dr Jonathan Slater presents a paper for the War Studies and Health Histories research groups in the School of History
Wednesday 22 October 2025, 15:00 - 17:00 | Events, Seminars and lectures, Seminar series
More on Research seminar: Indigestible: Wartime food substitutes and nutrition in First World War GermanyResearch Seminar: 'Neurodivergence is relationship': reading literature in neurodivergent community
Dr Laura Seymour presents a paper for the Health Histories research group in the School of History.
Wednesday 12 November 2025, 11:30 - 13:30 | Events, Seminar series, Seminars and lectures
More on Research Seminar: 'Neurodivergence is relationship': reading literature in neurodivergent communityConference: International Medieval Congress 2026
IMC 2025 will take place 06-09 July in a fully hybrid format from the University of Leeds campus.
Monday 6 July 2026 - Thursday 9 July 2026 | Events, Conferences
More on Conference: International Medieval Congress 2026