Coexisting with the Body: Dialogues on the Self and Body in the 21st Century
3rd session " "Patient Knowledge" and Uncertainty: Case Studies of Individuals with Atopic Dermatitis"

Starting in July 2025, we will launch a new series titled "Coexisting with the Body: Dialogues on the Self and Body in the 21st Century." This series is co-organized by a JSPS KAKENHI (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research) project (Grant Number 23K12596) and the University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy (UTCP).

For this series, we will welcome speakers who are engaged in diverse research and activities broadly related to the concept of the "body" across various specialized fields, including philosophy, anthropology, sociology, medicine, psychology, fashion, theater, and music.
Through their lectures and interviews, we aim to explore questions such as "How do we engage with the alterity of our own bodies?" and "What factors define the unique perspectives on the body in contemporary society?" We also hope to foster discussions that can lead to insights for addressing the various conflicts people face regarding their bodies in modern times.

3rd session ""Patient Knowledge" and Uncertainty: Case Studies of Individuals with Atopic Dermatitis"

Speaker: Miho Ushiyama (Associate Professor, Otsuma Women's University)

Date: 1:00-3:00 PM, Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
Location: Room 24. Bldg.101, University of Tokyo KomabaⅠCampus and Zoom

Abstract: I have conducted research primarily on individuals with atopic dermatitis, focusing especially on those who are reluctant to use topical steroids. Since symptoms often worsen without medication, these individuals must confront a great deal of uncertainty. This presentation aims to situate the "patient knowledge" gained through the lived experience of illness within anthropological and sociological research, while also exploring the relationship between this knowledge and uncertainty.

Biography: Miho Ushiyama is an associate professor at Otsuma Women's University. She graduated from Waseda University with a B.A. in Philosophy from the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I. After completing her M.A. at the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences at Waseda University, she earned her M.A. from the Medical Anthropology program at University College London and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences at Waseda University. Her career includes positions as a research associate at the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I at Waseda University, an assistant professor at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, a special research fellow (RPD) at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and a full-time specially appointed lecturer at Otsuma Women's University.

Organized by:
JSPS KAKENHI "A Study on the Social Problematization of Tattoos and the Categorization of Tattoos as Fashion" (Principal Investigator: Rie Yamada, Grant Number 23K12596)

Co-organized by:
University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy (UTCP), Uehiro Research Division for Philosophy of Co-existence