An IASH Work-in-Progress seminar, delivered by Amaris Ketcham (Fulbright Scotland Distinguished Scholar Fellow, 2026-27)
Soft Fascination and the Wild Swim
Comics about medicine often meet us in hospital rooms and recovery suites, but what if we invite them for a walk in the woods or a swim in the sea? In this presentation I will share comics that shift the setting of graphic medicine from a site of treatment to one of prevention by focusing on nature-based wellness practices. Responding to pressure from burnout, chronic stress, and anxiety, nature-based practices such as forest bathing (mindfulness techniques outdoors) and wild swimming have been framed as low-cost support for chronic illness, inflammation, grief, and more. As wild swimming groups become increasingly common across Scotland, these comics will interrogate what we mean by "wild," show the community that develops around this pastime, and tempt the audience to enjoy soft fascination in their free time.
Meeting ID: 387 413 976 148 588
Passcode: jk7Dn2rE