Cure & Condition: Jewish Identity in the Age of Modern Medicine

18/05/2026 - 18/05/2026

Join us for the next instalment of the Jnetics Scientific Lecture Series, featuring cultural historian Professor Sander L. Gilman. This thought-provoking talk will explore the complex relationship between Jewish identity and modern medicine, from the 19th century to today.

As medicine evolved, it created new opportunities for Jewish physicians while simultaneously reinforcing harmful ideas about Jews and disease. This lecture will examine the enduring tension of Jews as both healers and patients, tracing how these narratives have shaped perceptions of health, illness, and identity.

From historical stereotypes to the modern era of genetics and inherited risk, Professor Gilman will offer a compelling perspective on how these themes continue to resonate—and why they matter now.

Professor Sander L. Gilman

Sander L. Gilman is a cultural historian of science, medicine, and Jewish studies, and Professor Emeritus at Emory University. He has written over one hundred books, including Doc or Quack: Science and Anti-Science in Modern Medicine (2025). His work explores the history of medicine, representations of mental illness, and Jewish identity, notably in Seeing the Insane and Jewish Self-Hatred.
 
He has held major academic posts in the USA and internationally, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.