2026 George H. Rawls, MD Memorial Lecture
About this Event
2026 George H. Rawls, MD Memorial Lecture on the History of Minorities and Medicine
Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 1pm (Eastern)
“Rehumanizing People of the Past: Bioarchaeology, Medical Museums and Archives, and the Human Remains Trade”
presented by Kristin LaFollette
FREE for Current IMHM Members* (donations of $35 or more in the past 12 months)
$5 for NonMembers
*Member tickets are only available for current active IMHM members. Member status will be confirmed.
2026 George H. Rawls, MD Memorial Lecture on the History of Minorities and Medicine
Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 1pm (Eastern)
“Rehumanizing People of the Past: Bioarchaeology, Medical Museums and Archives, and the Human Remains Trade”
presented by Kristin LaFollette
Much of the communication used to reference human remains—including reports in bioarchaeology, labels and descriptions in medical museums and archives, and web content in the human remains trade—does not adequately recognize the humanity of the individuals represented by those remains. However, "rehumanizing language," which is informed by advocacy and social justice, offers one solution to this dehumanization problem. Building from concepts and ethical standards in bioarchaeology, medical museums and archives, the human remains trade, technical communication, and rhetoric of health and medicine (RHM), the speaker presents frameworks for developing rehumanizing language in various contexts to better honor, dignify, and respect the people represented by human remains. These frameworks are also applied to several original studies (one of which was conducted at the Indiana Medical History Museum), which explore existing communication and the ways it uses rehumanizing language or could be adapted to better emphasize the humanity of the dead.
About the Speaker:
Kristin LaFollette is Associate Professor of English and Director of Composition at the University of Southern Indiana. She is the author of Rehumanizing People of the Past: Bioarchaeology, Medical Museums and Archives, and the Human Remains Trade (SUNY Press, 2026), and her research has been published in various journals, including Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Technical Communication and Social Justice, and Across the Disciplines, among others. She also serves as Director of Humanities Content and Strategy at The Blood Project, an educational platform that works toward bridging the gap between evidence-based medicine and patient care. She received an M.A. in English from Indiana University South Bend and a Ph.D. in rhetoric and writing studies from Bowling Green State University. Learn more about her work at kristinlafollette.com.
This event will be held in-person at the Indiana Medical History Museum. Registration for the livestream is also available. Doors open to in-person attendees at 12:40pm. Advanced registration is required for in-person or virtual attendance.
***Important information for attendees: Advanced registration is required. In-person seating is limited. This is a hybrid event with ticket options for both in person and virtual attendance. Please make sure you are registering for the correct ticket type. Virtual attendees will receive a link to join the event via Zoom 24 hours prior to the event. If you don't receive it by then, check your email junk folder or email us at [email protected]. Doors open for in-person attendees at 12:40pm.
IMHM Event Disclaimers: 1) The views and opinions expressed by the speaker(s) in this presentation are solely their own and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Indiana Medical History Museum or its affiliates. 2) The content of the presentation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment. 3) The Indiana Medical History Museum is housed in a historic building, and as such, may present certain risks and/or physical restrictions. Please let us know if you require special accommodations, and we will do our best to meet your needs.
IMHM Photography Policy: Attendees should respect both presenters and their proprietary material during formal presentations; therefore no still photographs nor video or audio recordings are allowed, unless explicitly permitted by IMHM Staff. To read our full IMHM Photography Policy, visit our website at www.imhm.org/visit.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 7.18
