About us

Bethany Dring

I am currently a second year student studying Sociology BSc at the University of Sunderland. Writing this blog was part of my assessment for the module of Medicalisation, Normality and the Body, studying this has sparked my interest in the aspects of social control that the medical establishment has over the population in our society today – I am particularly interested in whether or not this control has increased or decreased over time. In the blog, I have decided to focus on men’s bodies as I feel that through men’s bodies, the medical establishment are gaining more control over society than ever before.

Kate Stewart

I am currently in my third year at Sunderland University doing an Extended Social Sciences (Sociology) degree. Throughout my time at university, we have experienced a variety of different assessment methods, but this was my first time contributing towards a blog. I enjoy using theory and then applying it to to contemporary topics. I chose to focus on Illich’s contribution to medical imperialism and how his views could be critiqued

Rachael Bell

I am currently studying in my third year at Sunderland University, doing an Extended Social Sciences course with Criminology. Writing this blog for my module: Medicalisation, Normality and the Body was a different and interesting way of completing an assessment. Cosmetic surgery was an eye-opening topic and different from other topics on the Criminology course. I enjoyed this topic as learning about the control that society has upon women’s bodies.

Syeda Fahin

I am currently a second year student, studying Sociology (BSc) at University of Sunderland. As a part of my module assessment of Medicalisation, Normality and the Body, I was asked to create a group blog to demonstrate whether Illich’s medical imperialism is still valid today with the case studies, so therefore I decided to research HIV and AIDs as my case study. Without any knowledge of sociology of medicine or HIV and AIDs prior this module, I discovered in-depth and interesting research about the theories of health and bodies that were relevant to the case study of HIV and AIDs, for example the sick role and risk society. Through the case study, it can be argued that the medical establishment is slowly taking over the HIV and AIDs research, to either find a cure for it or make profit from it.