About PATHS

PATHS Research Group explore the interconnections – the ‘paths’ – between public health, the arts, theory, and social science. Specifically, we are interested in the role of society and sociological theories in discussions and issues connected to the field of ‘arts and health’. This includes sociological exploration of the arts and health field itself (e.g., the institutions, networks, and people that constitute the field) and the artistic practices and programmes delivered in view of public health discourses and structures. Exploring the application of our research to policy and practice is also important to what we do.

The group is a cross-HEI partnership between the University of Edinburgh (School of Health in Social Science) and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. We work across these institutions and with a wide range of external partners, nationally and internationally. We also have close connections with the Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (ECRED), Binks Hub, Advanced Care Research Centre, Science Humanities and Arts Research Exchange (SHARE), Music in Human and Social Development Research Group (MHSD), Centre for Creative-Relational Inquiry (CCRI), and Moving Bodies Lab. The group was created and founded by Dr Katey Warran.