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The sociology of cognitive enhancement: medicalisation and beyond
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 22:08 authored by Catherine Coveney, Jonathan Gabe, Simon WilliamsTo date, sociology of health and medicine has engaged in only a limited way in debates about cognitive enhancement drugs and how they might affect or change the way we live our lives. In this review we explore the implications of the development of such drugs, both now and in the future, with particular reference to the changing drivers and dynamics of medicalisation or biomedicalisation over time. Whilst both concepts shed important light on these developments, pharmaceuticalisation provides a more precise sociological term of reference we suggest for tracing and tracking these trends in cognitive enhancing drugs over time. The paper ends with some further suggestions for a research agenda in this domain, drawing on concepts located at the nexus between science and technology studies (STS) and the sociology of health and biomedicine.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
Health Sociology ReviewISSN
1446-1242Publisher
RoutledgeExternal DOI
Issue
4Volume
20Page range
381-393Department affiliated with
- Anthropology Publications
Notes
Special Issue: Sociology of Health and Illness in the UKFull text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes