P6: Body, Knowledge, Subjectivity

How is knowledge produced, moved, and turned into practice? How can we see the body and medical practice through a norm critical lens? What are the ethical limits on how people and their bodies may be treated in healthcare? The P6 research collective The P6 research collective ’Body, Knowledge, Subjectivity' discusses these and similar questions.

The P6 seminar series is co-organized by scholars at Tema T and G, and with active participants from across Linköping University. Outside guests are also welcome! We research topics of agency, embodiment, knowledge production, normativity, subjective and intersubjective meaning-making in relationship to the development and use of technologies (understood broadly), as well as how the subject and technology construct each other.

Our conversations touch on social, cultural, philosophical, ethical aspects of the development and use of technologies or techniques. We develop theoretical terms in dialog with empirical material and allow theory to inspire our empirical analysis. Using approaches from the social science and humanities, many of us contribute to theoretical discussions within feminist science studies, feminist technoscience, and feminist phenomenology, as well as to the medical humanities and science, technology and society studies.

The name P6 stems from the mid 1990s, when Professor Boel Berner (emerita) initiated the 6th Programme of Research at Tema T. The Seminar’s working language is English.

Some of our research projects

Bild på äggbefruktning. Picture shows fertilization of egg

A gift for life?

In 2012 the world’s first systematic attempts of uterus transplantation were conducted at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden. This unique project explored the sociocultural dimensions of the attempts by studying involved actors’ perspectives.

Pupils' definitions of mental health

The argument that young people do not feel well is common in reports and media. What does it mean? We examine schoolchildren’s experiences of mental health and how such knowledge can add to the knowledge gained from surveys measuring symptoms.

A Feminist Analysis of Medical Screening

Medical screening is an expanding part of healthcare, and more and more diseases can be screened for. Because of this, we need to understand what screening means and does – and screening does more than just find disease.

P6 Seminars

P6 seminar series

Join our conversation, be a guest researcher! The P6 seminar is where we present, discuss and develop our texts and ideas. We also have regular themed workshops on things like academic writing, research ethics, and analysis tricks. As a research collective, we strive to give constructive responses to work in progress in a collegial and open environment. Our goal is to combine passion and academic stringency with creative, clear and generous comments to create a well structured, open and constructive discussion atmosphere.

We are happy to provide a research home away from home for academics at all levels, from doctoral students to guest professors. Guest researchers participate in our Thursday seminars, we encourage them to put forward a text at a seminar during their stay, and many also benefit from informal collaborations with other researchers here at Tema T and with the other Temas. We are happy to provide an office and basic infrastructure access (IT, library and journal access) during a guest researcher’s stay. Most guest researchers bring their own funding, but funding can also be available through the ERASMUS exchange programme. Some people come for a week, some for a whole term. Some even come back, again and again.

Reflections from previous P6 guests

“P6 provides a rare opportunity to discuss one’s own and other’s recent research in a very concentrated and productive environment where questions and comments are spot on in helping to develop new thoughts and creativity. Moreover, people at P6 are tremendously friendly, funny and intellectually generous - a brilliant seminar series in all its facets.” – Kathrin Friedrich, post doc, Humboldt University

“P6 offers a theoretically advanced yet non-prestigious intellectual environment, in which your thoughts are fertilized rather than deconstructed.”
– Doris Lydahl, PhD student, Gothenburg University

“The P6 Seminar was a great place to present work. After my talk each person says something positive, then asks a more critical question. It was both affirming and challenging! An excellent combination.” – Professor Celia Roberts, Lancaster University

News

Just a tablet

Medicines affect us in many ways – not all of them physical. Behind the tablets we take lie expectations and marketing and They are pieces in a game that deals with feminine and masculine, and what drug companies really consider these terms to mean.

The Social Life of Forensic Evidence

How does the criminal justice system make forensic evidence? This book takes readers from the courtroom back to the crime scene to unravel the social life of forensic evidence.