John Pickstone
Encyclopedia
John Pickstone is currently Wellcome Research Professor in the Centre for the History of Science
, Technology and Medicine, in the Faculty of Life Sciences
of the University of Manchester
. (Some of his writings have his name as 'John V. Pickstone'.)
, Lancashire
, he studied Natural Sciences
, especially physiology, at Cambridge and at Queen's University
, Kingston, Ontario. After his degree he took an MSc in History and Philosophy of Science
at University College London
, 1969, and completed his PhD at Chelsea College London, 1974 (on general physiology in early 19th-century France, especially the work of Dutrochet on osmosis). He has held fellowships in History of Medicine
at the University of Minnesota
(1971–73) and at University College London (1974), before moving in 1974 to the Department of History of Science and Technology
, UMIST
, Manchester, to work on the history of hospitals in the Manchester region (Lecturer, 1977, later Senior Lecturer
).
and established the Centre for the History of Science and Technology (CHSTM), including the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine and the National Archive for the History of Computing
before directing the Centre until 2002 when he became a Research Professor.
More recently, John Pickstone he has published mainly on modern medical history, e.g. cancer and medical technology
; but also on regional history of STM, on which he edited two journal numbers in 2007. With Roberta Bivins, he edited a volume in honour of the late Roy Porter
(Palgrave, 2007) and with Peter Bowler, is editing the Cambridge University Press History of Science volume on Modern Earth and Life Sciences (2008). 'Ways of Knowing' continues to attract attention, including a special session at the American history of science conference in Washington, DC, 2007, and an invitation to produce an Osiris volume. With his work on recent medical history, it has attracted international invitations—most recently (2007–2008) to Yale University, Pennsylvania, Paris, Maastricht, Berlin and Mexico.
For the University of Manchester, he recently initiated a series of 'Interfaculty Lectures', and with friends in Manchester Metropolitan University
and the City, is planning a major local history
festival for 2009.
services, and a collaborative project with the NCRDPC on recent changes in the NHS. He is increasingly interested in the uses of history for health policy.
His wider work on ‘Big Pictures’ and ‘Ways of Knowing’ grew from a conviction that through some of the hundreds of excellent papers produced in history of science, technology and medicine since the 1960s, we might develop new and better frames for understanding long-term history. He continues to explore these themes in relation to medical technologies, science-art relations, science-technology relations, and the display of HSTM in museums.
2008
2007
2006
History of science
The history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences....
, Technology and Medicine, in the Faculty of Life Sciences
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
of the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. (Some of his writings have his name as 'John V. Pickstone'.)
Curriculum vitae
Pickstone was born and raised in BurnleyBurnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, he studied Natural Sciences
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
, especially physiology, at Cambridge and at Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
, Kingston, Ontario. After his degree he took an MSc in History and Philosophy of Science
History and philosophy of science
The history and philosophy of science is an academic discipline that encompasses the philosophy of science and the history of science. Although many scholars in the field are trained primarily as either historians or as philosophers, there are degree-granting departments of HPS at several...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, 1969, and completed his PhD at Chelsea College London, 1974 (on general physiology in early 19th-century France, especially the work of Dutrochet on osmosis). He has held fellowships in History of Medicine
History of medicine
All human societies have medical beliefs that provide explanations for birth, death, and disease. Throughout history, illness has been attributed to witchcraft, demons, astral influence, or the will of the gods...
at the University of Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
(1971–73) and at University College London (1974), before moving in 1974 to the Department of History of Science and Technology
History of science and technology
The history of science and technology is a field of history which examines how humanity's understanding of the natural world and ability to manipulate it have changed over the centuries...
, UMIST
UMIST
The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology was a university based in the centre of the city of Manchester in England. It specialised in technical and scientific subjects and was a major centre for research...
, Manchester, to work on the history of hospitals in the Manchester region (Lecturer, 1977, later Senior Lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
).
The middle years
In 1985-86, as part of a rationalisation, he moved to the Victoria University of ManchesterVictoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
and established the Centre for the History of Science and Technology (CHSTM), including the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine and the National Archive for the History of Computing
History of computing
The history of computing is longer than the history of computing hardware and modern computing technology and includes the history of methods intended for pen and paper or for chalk and slate, with or without the aid of tables...
before directing the Centre until 2002 when he became a Research Professor.
More recently, John Pickstone he has published mainly on modern medical history, e.g. cancer and medical technology
Medical technology
Medical Technology encompasses a wide range of healthcare products and is used to diagnose, monitor or treat diseases or medical conditions affecting humans. Such technologies are intended to improve the quality of healthcare delivered through earlier diagnosis, less invasive treatment options and...
; but also on regional history of STM, on which he edited two journal numbers in 2007. With Roberta Bivins, he edited a volume in honour of the late Roy Porter
Roy Porter
Roy Sydney Porter was a British historian noted for his prolific work on the history of medicine.-Life:...
(Palgrave, 2007) and with Peter Bowler, is editing the Cambridge University Press History of Science volume on Modern Earth and Life Sciences (2008). 'Ways of Knowing' continues to attract attention, including a special session at the American history of science conference in Washington, DC, 2007, and an invitation to produce an Osiris volume. With his work on recent medical history, it has attracted international invitations—most recently (2007–2008) to Yale University, Pennsylvania, Paris, Maastricht, Berlin and Mexico.
For the University of Manchester, he recently initiated a series of 'Interfaculty Lectures', and with friends in Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University is a university in North West England. Its headquarters and central campus is in the city of Manchester, but there are outlying facilities in the county of Cheshire. It is the third largest university in the United Kingdom in terms of student numbers, behind the...
and the City, is planning a major local history
Local history
Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context and it often concentrates on the local community. It incorporates cultural and social aspects of history...
festival for 2009.
Research interests
Mostly include aspects of recent medicine, such as the Wellcome project on the history of cancer in Britain, work on medical technology, the history of mental healthMental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
services, and a collaborative project with the NCRDPC on recent changes in the NHS. He is increasingly interested in the uses of history for health policy.
His wider work on ‘Big Pictures’ and ‘Ways of Knowing’ grew from a conviction that through some of the hundreds of excellent papers produced in history of science, technology and medicine since the 1960s, we might develop new and better frames for understanding long-term history. He continues to explore these themes in relation to medical technologies, science-art relations, science-technology relations, and the display of HSTM in museums.
Recent publications, 2006
2009- (with Chris PhiloChris PhiloChris Philo is Professor of Geography at the Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences, the University of Glasgow.Philo graduated from the Sidney Sussex College of Cambridge University and became a Research Fellow there. In 1989 he joined the Department of Geography at the University of Wales,...
) Unpromising Configurations: towards local historical geographies of psychiatry. In: Health and Place
2008
- (with David Edgerton), Science, Technology and Medicine in Britain, 1750-2000: Modern Science in National and International Context, Cambridge History of Science, vol. 8
- The Modern Biological and Earth Sciences, Cambridge History of Science, vol. 6
2007
- (with J. Anderson & F. Neary), Surgeons, Manufacturers and Patients: a transatlantic history of total hip replacement, In: Science, Technology and Medicine in Modern History. Palgrave.
- Contested Cumulations: configurations of cancer treatments through the twentieth Century, In: Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 81(1), 164-196
- (with Adrian M. K. Thomas), Imaging: Revealing the World Within, In: BMJ: British Medical Journal, 334, (Suppl 1), 12
- (with Roberta Bivins) Madness, Medicine and Social History: essays in honour of Roy Porter, Palgrave
- Medicine in Manchester: Manchester in medicine, 1750–2005, In: Bulletin of the John Rylands University LibraryJohn Rylands University LibraryThe John Rylands University Library is the University of Manchester's library and information service. It was formed in July 1972 from the merger of the library of the Victoria University of Manchester with the John Rylands Library...
, LXXXVII - Medical History in Manchester: health and healing in an industrial city, 1750–2005. In: Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library, vol. LXXXVII (special number ed. Pickstone & Stella V. F. Butler, with survey article by Pickstone as introduction).
- Science and Technology in Manchester: an introduction to the history. In: Manchester Regional History Review, 18.
- The History of Science and Technology in the Manchester Region: Manchester Regional History Review (special number ed. Pickstone with survey article as introduction, Manchester Regional History Review, 18.
- Working Knowledges before and after circa 1800 [sic]: Practices and Disciplines in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine. In: Isis, 98 (September), 489-516.
2006
- (with J. S. Metcalfe), Replacing Hips and Lenses: Surgery, Industry and Innovation in Post-War Britain, New Technologies in Health Care - Challenges, Change and Innovation, Palgrave
- Innovation, Diverse Knowledges and the Presumed Singularity of Science: Cultures of Technology and the Quest for Innovation, Berghahn Books
- Bones in Lancashire: towards long-term contextual analysis of medical technology, In: Devices and Designs: Medical Technologies in Historical Perspective, Palgrave