The (country) road not often taken: Challenging traditional norms and assumptions in bioethics

Christy Simpson, Fiona McDonald

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

The authors believe there is a need to challenge the urban-based ethical norms and biases built into mainstream western bioethical theory and teaching, particularly focusing on rural health practice. In ‘rethinking’ rural bioethics, they drew on interdisciplinary and feminist approaches to identify how traditional bioethics is permeated by urban and tertiary hospital-based perspectives and is primarily predicated on ‘caring for strangers.' This contrasts with the nature of rural health practice where one is often ‘caring for neighbors,' immersed in the interconnectedness of rural community life. In attending to these contextual features, the authors noted a deficiency in the traditional ethical values emphasized (such as in principlism) and posited the additional values of place, community and relationships. In this chapter, Simpson and McDonald provide a brief overview of this work in order to ground their reflections on teaching bioethics. From the perspectives of both content and process, they argue that there are important changes educators can make to teaching bioethics in order to better equip health professionals for the ethical issues that arise in their practice. Incorporating these insights into teaching bioethics is well-received by learners, particularly, but not exclusively, by those who practice in rural settings.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe History and Bioethics of Medical Education
Subtitle of host publication“You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught”
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages95-112
Number of pages18
ISBN (Electronic)9781000379761
ISBN (Print)9780367619350
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 20 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 selection and editorial matter, Madeleine Mant and Chris Mounsey; individual chapters, the contributors.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Arts and Humanities

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