Negotiating intimacies : gender, rehabilitation and the professionalisation of massage in Britain, c.1880-1920
Massage was professionalised in Britain in 1895 by the Society of Trained Masseuses (STM), a small group of nurses and midwives mainly concerned with giving general massage to neurasthenic women. By the end of the First World War the massage profession had been transformed - a key participant in the rehabilitation of the nationâs wounded soldiers; publically, medically and politically acclaimed; and a specialism fully embryonic of physiotherapy. This thesis examines the professionalisation of massage from c.1880-1920. It argues that in order to fully understand the development of the profession in this period we have to move away from institutional teleologies, linear narratives of âmedical controlâ and embrace the myriad of socio-cultural, economic, political and professional forces driving and shaping this process. To explore these wider forces this thesis looks beyond internal institutional dynamics and examines a number of locations where massage was practised. Beginning with an examination of how massage was translated from a traditionally lay-treatment into the language of medical orthodoxy, this thesis considers its adoption into British medicine, its development as a practice and a profession,
Nias, Kayleigh
Medical History ; Professionalisation ; Physiotherapy ; Massage ; Gender ; Rehabilitation ; Disability ; Fitness ; Nursing ; First World War ; Orthopaedics ; Physical Medicine
Negotiating intimacies : gender, rehabilitation and the professionalisation of massage in Britain, c.1880-1920. Massage was professionalised in Britain in 1895 by the Society of Trained Masseuses (STM), a small group of nurses and midwives mainly concerned with giving general massage to neurasthenic women. By the end of the First World War the massage profession had been transformed - a key participant in the rehabilitation of the nationâs wounded soldiers; publically, medically and politically acclaimed; and a specialism fully embryonic of physiotherapy. This thesis examines the professionalisation of massage from c.1880-1920. It argues that in order to fully understand the development of the profession in this period we have to move away from institutional teleologies, linear narratives of âmedical controlâ and embrace the myriad of socio-cultural, economic, political and professional forces driving and shaping this process. To explore these wider forces this thesis looks beyond internal institutional dynamics and examines a number of locations where massage was practised. Beginning with an examination of how massage was translated from a traditionally lay-treatment into the language of medical orthodoxy, this thesis considers its adoption into British medicine, its development as a practice and a profession,
negotiating intimacy gender rehabilitation professionalisation britain professionalise britain society trained small_group nurse mainly_concerned give general woman end_first_world_war profession transform key participant rehabilitation nation soldier medically politically acclaim fully examines professionalisation argues order_fully development profession period move_away institutional linear_narrative medical control embrace myriad socio_cultural economic_political professional force drive shape process explore wider force look_beyond internal institutional dynamic examines number location practise beginning examination translate traditionally lay treatment language medical orthodoxy considers adoption british medicine development practice profession