Introducing ‘Commonplaces’ – Somatosphere’s New Archive of Classical & Contemporary Sites in Medicine and Science

Somatosphere and the Science, Technology, and Medicine Interest Group of the SMA are pleased to present a new online project — “Commonplaces,” developed and curated by Tomas Matza and Harris Solomon.

“Commonplaces” will draw together a series of short entries (approximately 500-1000 words) from scholars on the classical and contemporary sites in medicine and science. Think: the needle, the patent, the pill, diagnosis/prognosis, the scan, the white coat, the chart, the trash, the number, side effects, placebo. New entries will generally, but not always, appear every Monday. The aim, in the end, is to produce a collaborative cabinet—one that is less a coherent collection than a series itemizing the technological present.

We are launching the site with two pieces:

• “Introduction: The Cabinet,” by Tomas Matza and Harris Solomon
• “Gut Wisdom, Or Why We Are More Intelligent Than We Know,” by Ed Cohen

“Commonplaces” forthcoming in the coming weeks include:

• “Waiting Room,” by Miriam Ticktin (Oct. 28)
• “Vitamin,” by Diane Nelson (Nov. 4)
• “Headache,” by Jocelyn Chua (Nov. 11)
• “Nuclear,” by Gabrielle Hecht (Nov. 18)
• “Side Effect,” by Joseph Masco (Dec. 2)
• “Scan,” by Barry Saunders (Dec. 9)
• “Rotting,” by Lochlann Jain (Jan. 6)

Other pieces will follow throughout the academic year. Come check out the front page for “Commonplaces” here.