Hematopolitics

@hematopolitics.bsky.social

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Interdisciplinary AHRC-funded project at the University of Leeds exploring blood symbolism, social relationships and boundary-making in blood banking. Account run by @jinikim.bsky.social (taking over from @claireturner.bsky.social in Oct 2025)

An embroidered image of three mice, each holding a strand of red thread. The mice are smiling and looking towards the viewer. They are emerging from a red blood drop. At the top in red font reads 'Amazing Blood Ties!'.
Sangeeta Chattoo stood at a podium presenting her work, which is displayed on the screen.
A screen showing a PowerPoint presentation with four anatomical images of the skin with vessels on display.
A sign at Thackray Museum of Medicine advertising the University of Leeds’ Hematopolitics Symposium 2.
A promotional poster for Be Curious. It includes the logo, which is a B and a question mark intertwined. The accompanying text says 'I'm taking part! Saturday 17 May, 10am-4pm, leeds.ac.uk/BeCurious'. The University of Leeds is included on the bottom left of the image. The right side of the image depicts a small hand reaching towards a textured ball.
The Politics of Blood Donation and Transfusion: Histories, Controversies, and Futures 6 June 2025, Thackray Museum of Medicine (Leeds, UK) Keynote Speaker: Dr Jenny Bangham (University of Edinburgh) From early transfusion experiments and wartime blood banking to contemporary controversies over donor eligibility and the global plasma economy, blood has been a site of both solidarity and division. At the same time, new developments in synthetic blood, xenotransfusion, and bioengineered alternatives challenge existing frameworks of donation and transfusion, raising questions about the future of blood governance, ethics, and access. This symposium seeks to examine the historical, social, and political dimensions of blood donation and transfusion, focusing on how they have been governed, contested, and reimagined across time and space. We invite contributions from scholars in anthropology, history, sociology, medical humanities, Science and Technology Studies, bioethics, and related fields. This symposium is held in conjunction with the special exhibition Blood: Ties and Tensions at the Thackray Museum of Medicine and will feature a keynote lecture by Dr. Jenny Bangham, author of Blood Relations: Transfusion and the Making of Human Genetics (2020, University of Chicago Press). Panellists will also have the opportunity to explore the exhibition, fostering further discussions around its curated themes. A limited number of bursaries will be available to support domestic travel for postgraduate, early career researchers, and independent scholars.
Three Hematopolitics researchers stood outside an art installation within the exhibition space.
An abstract, artistic portrayal of blood vessels, some of which are made of a rough hessian material, and others which are made of red pieces of twine.
A promotional poster detailing a temporary exhibition hosted by Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds. The background is a pale peach colour. The main feature of the poster is an abstract, artistic portrayal of blood vessels, some of which are made of a rough hessian material, and others which are made of red pieces of twine. Overlaying this artwork, in bold white text, is the word BLOOD. The subtitle reads 'Ties and Tensions'. Underneath are a series of logos, including the Arts Council England, Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the University of Leeds.
Call for Research Participants I am looking for Caribbean and Pakistani volunteers to take part in a study to explore experiences with blood and/or your relationship with blood donation in Leeds and Bradford area. Your participation would involve attending an interview lasting approximately 1 hour with the researcher either in person or on Microsoft Teams. All interviews are confidential and you will be able to select your anonymity level. To be suitable for this study, you must: Be of Caribbean or Pakistani heritage Live or have lived in the Leeds or Bradford area Age 18+ You don’t have to have donated blood to participate. If you would like more information, or would like to part, please contact: mlslc@leeds.ac.uk
Biography of Sarah Chadwick, PhD Student and Co-Production Co-Lead: Sarah Chadwick is a third-year CDA PhD student in the School of Languages, Cultures, and Societies. Her research, funded by WRoCAH, investigates the racial dynamics of blood donation since 1946 through public health material and the blood donation spaces of Leeds and Bradford. Sarah works in partnership with Thackray Museum of Medicine, who house a large collection of objects related to her research interests. Sarah will design and lead co-production sessions in line with Thackray’s upcoming exhibition on blood.
Biography of Dr Claire Turner, Digital Engagement Fellow: Dr Claire Turner is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Society for Renaissance Studies. She is currently researching the sensory history of cancer in early modern England. She recently worked as a Research Assistant for the Wellcome-funded LivingBodiesObjects project, where she designed exhibition materials for Thackray Museum of Medicine. Claire is interested in how we convey the senses through digital media, a question she hopes to answer as Digital Engagement Fellow.
Biography of Dr Jieun Kim, Project Lead: Dr Jieun Kim is a socio-cultural anthropologist fascinated by the ways personal narratives reflect and shape social identity and belonging. Her research in Japan and South Korea focuses on how people navigate social boundaries, with a special interest in the multiple meanings of blood and blood donation. As the Project Leader of "Hematopolitics," she is excited to listen to people's stories and explore creative and engaging ways to share them with wider publics.