Research

Research Priorities: History of the interrelation of health, medicine and society, conditions and inner incentives of medical action, social history of medicine, social history of public health, history of medicine and science in Eurasian knowledge transfer

Alfons Labisch is a historian, sociologist, and physician. His main interest is the interaction of medicine and society via the respective interpretations and effects of the term "health".

On this basis, he addresses in his publications the social and financial history of the hospital and the history of public health care in Germany, the problem of knowledge and action in medicine, and the problem of history as experience and as science in medicine.

His more recent research deals with the social and scientific history of malaria, the health of human movement and the Eurasian transfer of knowledge using the example of culturally specific interpretations of health and the role of medicine.

Career

• since 2019 Distinguished Professor for the History of Science and Medicine, School for History, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China
• 2011-2015 Acting Director, Institute for the History of Medicine, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 2003-2008 Rector, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1991-2011 Professor of the History of Medicine, and Head, Institute for the History of Medicine at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1980-1991 Medical practice in general medicine and the public health sector, approved secondary occupation
• 1979-1991 Professor of Health Policy/Medical Sociology, Faculty 4 “Social Work”, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
• PhD in History, MA in Sociology, State Examination in medicine and medical licence, PhD in Medicine, Habilitation in History
• since 1968 Studies in history, social sciences, philosophy, Latin and human medicine, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Functions

• since 2021 Chairman, Board of Directors, Hiller Foundation, Monheim, Germany
• 2012-2019 Spokesperson, Board of Directors and Advisory Board, Centre for Science Research, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2011-2015 Deputy Secretary, Class IV – Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2010-2015 Chairman, Section 23 “History and Philosophy of Science”, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2009-2011 Senior Consultant, Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban, Beijing, China
• 2008-2021 Chairman, Board of Trustees, Hiller Foundation, Monheim, Germany
• 2007-2009 Overseas Member, First Council, Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban, Beijing, China
• 2006-2020 Chairman, Sponsoring Association, Confucius Institute, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 2006-2010 Senator, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Science Association (WGL), Germany
• 2005-2008 Member, Board of Trustees, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
• 2005-2013 Member, Supervisory Board, Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), Jülich, Germany
• 2002-2003 Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Germany
• 1998-2002 Vice-Dean, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1997-2000 President, German Society for the History of Medicine, Science and Technology, Germany
• 1997 President, Society for the Social History of Medicine, UK
• since 1993 Chairman, Board of Trustees, Gisela Eisenreich Foundation “Nature – Healing – Medicine”, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 1985-1986 Dean, Faculty 04 “Social Sciences”, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany

Projects

• 2018-2021 Director, Joint Project, “Object languages and aesthetics – Value dimensions of object relations from a historical perspective using the example of Conchylia” („Objektsprache und Ästhetik – Wertdimensionen des Objektbezugs in historischer Perspektive am Beispiel Konchylien”), Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Germany
• 2013-2018 Director, Project “Research: From neurosciences to neuroculture: A case study of the development and influence of a ‘successful’ discipline” („Forschung: Von den Neurowissenschaften zur Neurokultur: Eine Fallstudie zu Entwicklung und Einfluss einer ‚erfolgreichen‘ Disziplin“), BMBF, Germany
• 2010-2013 Project “Indexing the estate of John C. Eccles” („Nachlasserschließung John C. Eccles“), German Research Council (DFG)
• 2005-2006 Participating Researcher, Project “The construction of a ‘moral authority‘ of nature in natural medicine“ („Die Konstruktion einer ‘moralischen Autorität der Natur‘ in der Naturheilkunde“), DFG, Germany
• 2001-2003 Editorial Project, “Archival indexing of the Hubertus Hospital’s holdings in the city archives of Düsseldorf” („Archivalische Erschließung des Bestandes Hubertus-Hospital im Stadtarchiv Düsseldorf”), DFG, Germany
• 2000-2001 Project “Healthcare policy in Germany during the 20th century. Tendencies and events in the public health sector 1919-1970 with a focus on the healthcare politics after 1945” („Gesundheitspolitik in Deutschland im 20. Jahrhundert. Entwicklungslinien und -momente des Gesundheitswesens von 1919-1970 unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Gesundheitspolitik nach 1945“), DFG, Germany
• 1997-2001 Project “Nature, extent, and causes of changes on therapeutic concepts and healing methods in the history of natural medicine from 1830 to the present“ („Art, Umfang und Ursachen der Veränderung therapeutischer Konzepte und Heilverfahren in der Geschichte der Naturheilkunde von 1830 bis heute“), DFG, Germany
• 1996-1997 Project “Public Health as a field of action for Health Policy in the early history of the federal Republic of Germany and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. A federal-state comparison (1945-1965)“ („Öffentliche Gesundheit als Handlungsfeld der Gesundheitspolitik in der Frühgeschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen. Ein Bund-Länder-Vergleich (1945 - 1965)“), Nordrhein-Westfälischer Forschungsverbund Public Health, BMBF, Germany
• 1994-1998 Project “The general hospital of industrial cities during the 19th and early 20th century – illustrated at the development of the general hospital system in Düsseldorf (1798-1907)” („Das Allgemeine Krankenhaus der Industriestadt im 19. und frühen 20. Jahrhundert – dargestellt an der Entwicklung des Allgemeinen Krankenhauswesens in Düsseldorf (1798 bis 1907)“), DFG, Germany
• 1982-1988 Participating Researcher, Subproject “Societal conditions of health protection by the state and intermediary instances – illustrated at the example of the public health sector. A historical and sociological study“ („Gesellschaftliche Bedingungen für Gesundheitsvorsorge durch Staat und intermediäre Instanzen – dargestellt am Beispiel des öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes. Eine historisch-soziologische Untersuchung“), Priority Programme (SPP), “Social conditions of socio-political intervention: state, intermediary instances and self-help“ („Gesellschaftliche Bedingungen sozialpolitischer Intervention: Staat, intermediäre Instanzen und Selbsthilfe“), DFG, Germany
• 1981-1983 Project ”Documentation of the sociogenesis of industrial medicine and occupational healthcare in Germany since 1835“ („Dokumentation zur Soziogenese der Arbeitsmedizin und des Betriebsgesundheitswesens in Deutschland ab 1835“), Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Germany

Honours and Memberships

• 2016 University Professor honoris causa, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China
• 2014 Research Fellow, Institute for Global History, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China
• 2013 Guggenheim Schurr Memorial Lecture, Swiss Society for the History of Medicine and the Natural Sciences (SGGMN), Switzerland
• 2011 Honorary Member, Council, Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban, Beijing, China
• 2009 Golden Medal, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
• 2009 Order of the Rising Sun with star, gold and silver rays for services to scientific cooperation between Japan and Germany, Japan
• 2005 Silver Medal, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czechia
• since 2004 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 1999 Johann Peter Frank Medal, Federal Association of Public Health Service Doctors (BVÖGD), Germany
• 1993 Co-opted Member, Faculty of Philosophy of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany