Health Humanities lecture explores Lessons from the Great Rising of 1381 for Modern Medicine

The event will take place on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, in CSE 016, School of Education, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ. 

Renowned forensic psychiatrist Professor Taj Nathan, who has practised for over two decades, will deliver this thought-provoking talk. In recent years, he has expanded his academic focus to include historical studies, exploring how medicine and history intersect in surprising and valuable ways. 

Drawing on examples from the 14th-century Great Rising and the 18th-century publications of the Ordinaries of Newgate, Taj will demonstrate how the humanities can enrich and transform modern medical practice. His lecture will highlight the importance of integrating historical and cultural perspectives into healthcare to better understand the human experience of illness, treatment and wellbeing. 

Professor Rajan (Taj) Nathan is a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and Director of Research at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. He has extensive experience of working in a wide variety of forensic and non-forensic mental health settings, particularly in the context of complex mental health problems, personality disorder and autism spectrum disorder. His recent book Dangerous Minds: A Forensic Psychiatrist’s Quest to Understand Violence received high acclaim. His recent research on the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 bridges the gap between the Humanities and modern medical practice. 

The lecture promises to be an engaging evening for anyone interested in the therapeutic benefits of the arts, the history of medicine, or the design of healthcare environments. 

The Health Humanities Special Interest Group was launched last year to foster transformative research across health and allied disciplines, the arts, and the humanities. Its mission is to explore how creative and cultural approaches can positively impact medicine, healthcare environments, and the wellbeing of both patients and staff. 

This lecture is part of a wider series of events designed to spark dialogue at the intersection of Health, Medicine, Society, Arts, and Humanities. 

Tickets are free but need to be booked in advance here Select tickets – Health Humanities lecture - 'What can the Great Rising of 1381 tell us about modern medical practice?' – Room CSE 016, School of Education, University of Chester Parkgate Rd Chester 

Image: Jean Froissart, Chroniques, fol 154v – Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons. 'Richard II meeting with the rebels of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381'