Bodily and social vulnerability: a phenomenological perspective on the practice of care

Speaker: Professor Christina Schües, Professor at the Institute for the History of Medicine and Science Research, University of Lübeck, Germany

Vulnerability is a central aspect of the human condition. This lecture addresses the fundamental question of how to understand vulnerability from a phenomenological perspective for a practice of care. Even though ‘vulnerability’ is often used in ethics, care practices, and political discourse, its meaning and normative impact are not always clear. Bodily, linguistic, and juridical vulnerability are intertwined with a person’s integrity and their lived experiences in both relations and society.

Oxford Martin School,
University of Oxford