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Dr. Andrea Ford, cultural and medical anthropologist, explores the fascinating world of femtech and period tracking apps, revealing how these technologies are transforming our understanding of bodies, health, and gender. The conversation examines how these digital tools function within surveillance capitalism while promising personal empowerment through data collection.

• Period tracking has evolved beyond fertility planning to become a comprehensive approach to "hormonal health"
• Femtech represents a $50 billion industry that includes apps, wearables, and AI-driven health platforms
• Users track not just bleeding but hundreds of metrics including mood, energy, and physical symptoms
• Post-Roe v. Wade concerns about data privacy have prompted many to delete tracking apps
• "Cycle syncing" encourages planning work and social activities around hormonal phases
• Female tech founders face significant barriers in the male-dominated venture capital world
• Period tracking sits at feminism's central tension: celebrating biological differences versus transcending them
• Newer approaches to menstruation frame it as inflammatory rather than hormonal
• The menopause tech boom reflects changing attitudes about women's health across the lifespan

Check out Dr. Ford's Wellcome Trust-funded research investigating the femtech industry, surveillance concerns, and how digital health is reshaping our relationship with our bodies.

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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Five years after COVID-19 upended our lives, we've developed a curious collective amnesia. When was the last time you seriously reflected on playground closures, door-to-door testing teams, or the "disappointing Dan" press conferences? These once-extraordinary interventions now seem like strange artifacts from another era.

Jane Williams shares how COVID researchers now apologetically preface their ongoing work with self-deprecation, as though examining one of history's most significant social and medical disruptions is somehow passé. "I've made the decision to quite actively try not to be rude about my own work," Jane explains, pushing back against this strange cultural shift to minimize the pandemic's continued relevance.

Contrary to prevalent punditry suggesting public trust has been irreparably damaged by pandemic measures, Jane's research with participants across multiple Australian states revealed something surprising: most people would accept similar interventions again if needed – with the crucial caveat that communication and respect must improve. "We'd do it all again, as long as there was a bit more transparency... as long as we were treated better than we were last time," participants consistently stated. This challenges the narrative that procedural justice, rather than the measures themselves, represents the path forward for public health emergency management.

The conversation explores how working patterns have permanently shifted, creating flexibility for some while highlighting inequities for others. The concerning trend of sick days transforming into "work from home while sick" days indicates how pandemic adaptations have sometimes eroded traditional boundaries between work and personal life. Meanwhile, students who experienced educational disruptions during formative years continue navigating the ripple effects alongside broader challenges facing younger generations.

By excavating these pandemic memories and examining their lasting impact, we gain valuable perspective on our changed world. What other aspects of this transformative period deserve more thoughtful reflection before they fade completely from our collective consciousness? Join the conversation by reaching out on Instagram or emailing [email protected].

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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We celebrate five years of Undisciplinary by reflecting on our journey and the changing academic landscape since our podcast began in July 2020.

• Chris and Jane discuss recent conference experiences, noting the different atmospheres between academic gatherings
• We listen to and react to our original five-minute teaser episode from July 23, 2020
• Reflections on Courtney Hempton's contributions and impact on the podcast's development
• Discussion of how Twitter's transformation has changed how we source topics and connect with others
• Clarification about our independent funding model and thoughts on academic freedom challenges
• Exploration of what it means to be truly "undisciplinary" in our current academic environments
• Consideration of gatekeeping versus maintaining knowledge integrity across disciplines
• Acknowledging the podcast's value as a labor of love that continues to bring meaning

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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A/Prof Seye Abimbola explores how global health as a concept reinforces colonial power structures and argues for decentering Western institutions in health governance. His critique reveals how aid flows primarily benefit donor countries while creating dependencies that hinder meaningful health system development in recipient nations.

• The term "global health" itself is problematic, describing an industry with colonial roots rather than a truly global approach to health
• Much international aid functions as "tied aid," where donor countries require recipients to purchase overpriced products from them, limiting actual benefits
• 84% of major global health organizations are headquartered in wealthy nations, perpetuating knowledge hierarchies and power imbalances
• Historical colonial medical interventions like brutal sleeping sickness campaigns continue to impact health outcomes and trust in healthcare today
• Prestigious biomedical journals marginalize qualitative research, reinforcing knowledge hierarchies that privilege Global North perspectives
• True decolonization requires addressing not just authorship imbalances but ensuring research questions and methodologies serve local needs
• The withdrawal of USAID funding presents both challenges and opportunities for African nations to reimagine health systems on their own terms

Check out Dr. Abimbola's book "The Foreign Gaze: Essays on Global Health" available open access, which further explores how knowledge practices in global health often serve foreign interests rather than addressing local needs.

We also discussed Kyobutungi C, Okereke E, Abimbola S. After USAID: what now for aid and Africa? BMJ 2025; 388 :r479 doi:10.1136/bmj.r479 

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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Part 2 of our conversation with philosopher Megan Dean. We explore the ethics of hosting and the tensions that arise when accommodating guests with dietary restrictions. We dive into her paper "The Worst Dinner Guest Ever" to understand why people with food allergies and gut issues often face skepticism and judgment when sharing their needs.

• Megan was inspired by a blog post about accommodating guests with multiple dietary restrictions and the heated debate in its comment section
• "Epistemic humility" means acknowledging people as authorities on their own bodies and experiences
• Many food intolerances cause invisible or delayed symptoms, making them easy to dismiss but no less real
• Hosting responsibilities include keeping guests safe and comfortable, which means taking dietary needs seriously
• Cultural contexts create complex ethical situations where being a "good guest" might mean risking discomfort
• "Healthism" flattens the rich experience of eating by assuming health should always be our primary consideration
• The true "worst dinner guest" is the one who judges others' food choices rather than enjoying the shared experience

Megan A. Dean; The “Worst Dinner Guest Ever”: On “Gut Issues” and Epistemic Injustice at the Dinner Table. Gastronomica 1 August 2022; 22 (3): 59–71. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2022.22.3.59 

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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Philosopher Megan Dean joins us to explore the complex ethics of food restrictions, from hospital feeding tubes to revealing how deeply our identity and relationships are intertwined with what and how we eat.

In this episode we discuss

• Case of mushroom attempted mushroom poisoning - Ask Polly: My In-Laws are careless about my deadly food allergy! 
• Smuggled Doughnuts and Forbidden Fried Chicken: Addressing Tensions around Family and Food Restrictions in Hospitals by Megan A. Dean, Laura Guidry-Grimes
• The Culinary Mind - Center for the Philosophy of Food

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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Chris and Jane kick off 2025 discussing their recent publication in the British Medical Bulletin titled "Obesity: Ethical Issues" and exploring how conversations about weight stigma have evolved in recent years.

• Jane shares her experience appearing on ABC Radio National's "God Forbid" program where the topic shifted from "thinness and morality" to focusing entirely on obesity
• Even as medical institutions acknowledge weight stigma is harmful, they continue to pathologize bodies outside narrow parameters
• Public health messaging has evolved from fear-based "toxic fat" campaigns to more positive approaches focused on movement and wellbeing
• Wonder drug narratives around Ozempic and other weight loss medications often ignore long-term risks including cardiac, gastrointestinal, and psychiatric impacts
• Challenging the pathologization of diverse body types remains more difficult than addressing overt stigma
• Chris teases an upcoming bioethics book project that will include interesting research tidbits

Let us know if you want us to discuss any particular topics - email us at [email protected] or find us on Bluesky @undisciplinary.bsky.social

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

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**Below is AI generated**

This episode discusses weight stigma as a systemic issue deeply rooted in healthcare practices, often leading to misdiagnosis and mistreatment of individuals based on their body size. Dr. Patty Thille highlights the dangers of medicalization and pharmaceuticalization - especially the popularity of drugs like Ozempic - in addressing obesity and encourages a more holistic approach to health that considers broader societal contexts. 

• Weight stigma as both a personal and systemic issue 
• The impact of bias in healthcare settings 
• Personal experiences leading to critical perspectives on healthcare 
• Medicalization redefines societal problems into medical concerns 
• Pharmaceuticalization shifts focus to drug interventions 
• Ethical implications of funding in medical guidelines 
• The need for a broader understanding of well-being and health 
• Encouraging holistic, weight-neutral approaches to healthcare

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

Send us a text

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]

Send us a text

**Below is AI generated**
Ever found yourself secretly despising a beloved Christmas classic or questioning the charm of a holiday favorite as you share it with the next generation? Join us as we navigate the highs and lows of 2024, starting with a comedic dissection of Christmas music and films. We take a cheeky swipe at Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time," while debating the timelessness of "Christmas in New York" and "Carol of the Bells." Our scrutiny doesn't stop there; "Love Actually" gets a modern reevaluation, showing the inevitable cracks that appear when viewed through today's lens. Meanwhile, "Home Alone" brings a nostalgic warmth, offering a chance to bond over slapstick humor with our kids.

As we wrap up, we shine a spotlight on some of the year's most compelling reads and cultural gems. "The Sunbird" by Sarah Haddad emerges as a must-read, a novel so exquisitely written that every word resonates deeply. It's a self-published triumph that's capturing hearts and getting the recognition it deserves. This episode balances the light-hearted and the thoughtful, providing both a trip down memory lane and a glimpse into the year's standout stories. Join us for a conversation that is as varied as 2024 itself, filled with humor, heart, and a little bit of holiday sarcasm.

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" [email protected]