Final published version
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Review article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Review article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The history of anatomical engagement
AU - Wessels, Quenton
AU - Taylor, Adam M.
PY - 2025/2/5
Y1 - 2025/2/5
N2 - The public's fascination with anatomy has evolved over time and progressed from avoidance of the tainted yet saintly corpse, to their fascination with cabinets of curiosities. The current narrative review explores public engagement (PE), from its potential origins as cave paintings, to the rise of the disciplinarity of anatomy. Historical insights show how the public engaged in anatomy and with anatomy evolved alongside educational trends and advances ethics. Teaching modalities have shifted as resources have fallen out of favor, become unappealing, illegal or logistically challenging to deliver. Historical changes have resulted in newer approaches coming into the limelight, often moving from the anatomy classroom into the public eye. The public's curiosity with anatomy was satisfied through the organized violence of vivisections and dissections, cabinets of curiosity and permanent museums. Today, the driver of PE is research, education and motivation for learning in the hope of improving people's understanding of their bodies. PE has shifted from spectacles to active participation and collaboration. Looking forward, the authors also propose an adaptive interdisciplinary model for PE in anatomy.
AB - The public's fascination with anatomy has evolved over time and progressed from avoidance of the tainted yet saintly corpse, to their fascination with cabinets of curiosities. The current narrative review explores public engagement (PE), from its potential origins as cave paintings, to the rise of the disciplinarity of anatomy. Historical insights show how the public engaged in anatomy and with anatomy evolved alongside educational trends and advances ethics. Teaching modalities have shifted as resources have fallen out of favor, become unappealing, illegal or logistically challenging to deliver. Historical changes have resulted in newer approaches coming into the limelight, often moving from the anatomy classroom into the public eye. The public's curiosity with anatomy was satisfied through the organized violence of vivisections and dissections, cabinets of curiosity and permanent museums. Today, the driver of PE is research, education and motivation for learning in the hope of improving people's understanding of their bodies. PE has shifted from spectacles to active participation and collaboration. Looking forward, the authors also propose an adaptive interdisciplinary model for PE in anatomy.
KW - public
KW - engagement
KW - history
KW - anatomy
U2 - 10.1002/ase.70000
DO - 10.1002/ase.70000
M3 - Review article
JO - Anatomical Sciences Education
JF - Anatomical Sciences Education
SN - 1935-9772
ER -