Sawbones and the Social Construction of Health and Illness
The podcast, Sawbones, ( is a weekly show where a husband and wife team (she’s a medical doctor and he’s a comedian) discuss a variety of topics in medical history, often focusing on a particular disease or a particular treatment.
The purpose of this assignment is to apply concepts and ideas from the course to examples outside of class, which helps develop your sociological perspective!
What to do:
First, choose an episode of Sawbones. I recommend the following episodes as ones that might be particularly fruitful, but you may choose another episode with my approval.
Recommended episodes:
Leprosy ( to an external site.)
Hysteria ( to an external site.)
Phrenology to an external site.
Green Sickness ( to an external site.)
Listen to the episode and take notes on facts and ideas that you find sociologically interesting.
For the write up:
Give me a brief introduction paragraph. What episode did you listen to? What was it about? What concepts will you be talking about in relation to the podcast episode?
- Following this, you will relate the facts and ideas from the podcast episode to four (4) major concepts from Weitz’ textbook. This might include concepts like stigma, medicine as social control, medicalization, and the sick role, among others. For each term/concept from the text, you will provide a definition. Then, you will discuss how this term/concept relates to the podcast episode. You will do this for each of the 4 concepts you choose. I recommend having separate paragraphs for each concept, so your ideas are clearly presented. While I encourage you to select concepts from chapter 5-7, I will also allow you to bring in other ideas from earlier weeks (for instance, about race, class, gender, sexuality, and so forth) if you feel inclined!
You should also end the paper with a conclusion that discusses why any of this matters practically. So for example, if you wrote about “medicalization,” perhaps you could discuss the consequences of medicalization (What are the benefits? What are the potential negative consequences? Who was impacted by this phenomenon?) Think critically about not only the topic, but health and illness more broadly. This should be a time to explore your ideas!
How to solve
ACCS Exploring Stigma Medicalization and the Sick Role in Leprosy Essay
Introduction:
In this assignment, the students are required to listen to an episode of the podcast “Sawbones” and analyze it from a sociological perspective. The purpose of this assignment is to apply the sociological concepts learned in class to real-world examples, specifically in the field of medical history and healthcare. By doing so, students will develop a deeper understanding of the social construction of health and illness.
Answer to the content:
For this assignment, I would choose the episode on Leprosy from the podcast “Sawbones”. The episode discusses the history, treatment, and social perception of leprosy throughout the years.
Concept 1: Stigma
Definition: Stigma refers to the negative social labeling and discrimination against individuals or groups who deviate from cultural norms.
Relation to the podcast episode: The episode highlights the stigma associated with leprosy, as individuals with leprosy were often isolated and ostracized from society due to fear and misconceptions about the disease. This stigma influenced the lives of those affected by leprosy, shaping their social interactions and opportunities.
Concept 2: Medicalization
Definition: Medicalization refers to the process in which non-medical problems or conditions become defined and treated as medical issues, often with the intervention of healthcare professionals.
Relation to the podcast episode: The episode explores how leprosy was medicalized throughout history, as various treatments and interventions were developed to cure or manage the disease. This medicalization had implications for the understanding and perception of leprosy, framing it as a medical problem rather than a social or cultural issue.
Concept 3: Medicine as Social Control
Definition: Medicine as social control refers to the ways in which medical institutions and practices are used to regulate and maintain social order and conformity.
Relation to the podcast episode: The episode discusses how leprosy was used as a means of social control in different societies. Leprosy patients were often segregated in leprosariums or leper colonies, which acted as mechanisms of control to prevent the spread of the disease and maintain societal order.
Concept 4: Sick Role
Definition: The sick role refers to the social expectations and obligations placed on individuals who are considered ill, including the rights to be exempt from normal responsibilities and the obligation to seek medical help.
Relation to the podcast episode: The episode touches upon the societal expectations and behavior towards individuals with leprosy. Leprosy patients were expected to adhere to certain behavioral norms and seek medical treatment, reflecting the concept of the sick role in society.
Conclusion:
Analyzing the episode of “Sawbones” on leprosy through a sociological lens reveals various connections to important concepts in medical sociology. The examination of stigma, medicalization, medicine as social control, and the sick role helps us understand how health and illness are socially constructed and shaped by cultural, historical, and institutional factors. Furthermore, this analysis allows us to critically reflect on the practical implications of these concepts, including the consequences of stigmatization, the impact of medicalization on healthcare systems, and the power dynamics involved in the control and management of diseases. This assignment encourages students to explore their ideas and develop a sociological perspective on health and illness.
