Language and Discourse In Health Sciences and Healthcare: Between Professionals and Patients

This session invites contributions that explore the role of language and discourse in shaping practices, relationships, and experiences within health sciences and healthcare. While professional communication is often framed as precise, neutral, and objective, growing evidence suggests that medical language can also reproduce outdated norms, reinforce hierarchies, and unintentionally exclude or stigmatize patients and practitioners alike.

We seek to critically examine how language functions in clinical, educational, and institutional contexts, and how it intersects with issues of wellbeing, inclusivity, and evolving professional standards. The session aims to broaden the discussion beyond traditional notions of “correct” or “professional” language to consider whose voices are centered, whose are marginalized, and what the consequences are for care and collaboration.

We welcome contributions from a range of disciplines, including (but not limited to) linguistics, discourse analysis, medical humanities, sociology, communication studies, and health sciences.

Possible topics include:

• Inclusive and non-stigmatizing language in healthcare
• The impact of medical discourse on patient wellbeing and identity
• Language, power, and hierarchy in clinical interactions
• Evolving norms of professionalism in healthcare communication
• Discourses around mental health, disability, gender, and diversity
• Patient-centered communication and narrative approaches
• Language use in medical education and training
• Institutional and policy-level language practices in healthcare
• Multilingualism and intercultural communication in health settings

We encourage both empirical and theoretical contributions, as well as critical reflections on practice.