About
The BSA Medical Sociology Group exists to promote scholarship and communication in the field of the sociology of health and illness in the United Kingdom. The group is one of the largest and most active study groups of the British Sociological Association. Membership of the BSA brings benefits in terms of reduced conference fees and journal subscriptions, but most group activities are open to non-members.
The major activity of the group is the BSA Medical Sociology Group Annual Conference held in the United Kingdom each September. It consists of a plenary address and a programme of concurrent sessions on a wide range of topics in the sociology of health and illness.
The convenors of the Medical Sociology Group are Victoria Cluley, Jaime Garcia Iglesias and Julia Swallow.
Other group activities are organised under the auspices of the regional group, which organise meetings in different areas of the UK. The MedSoc Committee is keen to support the establishment of new regional groups in under-served areas and any interested parties should contact Victoria Cluley, Jaime Garcia Iglesias and Julia Swallow.
Medsoc supports publications on the Cost of Living Blog, which explores issues relating to austerity, health and society.
Although no formal relationship exists, the group has a close association with the international journal Sociology of Health and Illness, published by Wiley. Sociology of Health and Illness publishes sociological articles on all aspects of health, illness, medicine, and healthcare. You can find out more about the journal using the link above.
The British Sociological Association is the umbrella organisation for a range of study groups. The BSA Annual Conference takes place in March/April, as well as a range of other events; and produces its own newsletter, Network. Membership application details are available on our Joining the Association webpage.