Emerging Themes in Medical History, Ethics, and Politics in the Global South: An Editorial Introduction

Abstract

This editorial introduction to the new MHEP Working Paper Series on “Emerging Themes in Medical History, Ethics, and Politics” sets out the intellectual and institutional aims of the series: to provide a space for historically grounded, conceptually ambitious, and politically attuned work on medicine and health, with particular attention to the Global South and conflict-affected settings. The editorial situates the series at the intersection of medical history, bioethics, and political thought, arguing that questions of care, expertise, governance, and violence cannot be understood within disciplinary silos. It outlines the kinds of contributions the series seeks to foster—from archival and conceptual essays to policy-relevant reflections—and explains the editorial process. Finally, it clarifies how the Working Paper Series is meant to function: as a flexible, citable platform for work in progress; as an institutional home for debates that might not fit standard journal formats; and as a public resource, with all papers deposited in the AUB institutional repository and made freely accessible.