Caring for affective subjects produced in intimate healthcare examinations

• This article is about the feelings – affect – induced by the digital rectal exam of theprostate and the gynaecological bimanual pelvic exam, and the care doctors are orare not instructed to give. The exams are both invasive, intimate exams located ata part of the body often charged with norms and emotions related to gender andsexuality. By using the concept affective subject, we analyse how these examinations aretaught to medical students, bringing attention to how bodies and affect are cared foras patients are observed and touched. Our findings show both the role care practicesplay in generating and handling affect in the students’ learning and the importance ofthe affect that the exam is (or is not) imagined to produce in the patient. Ours is amaterial-discursive analysis that includes the material affordances of the patient anddoctor bodies in the affective work spaces observed.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Genusstudier (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Gender Studies (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialantropologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Anthropology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

affect

body

care

education

materiality

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)