A Black Fetus? Examining Social Justice in Medical Illustrations in Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) Pedagogical Materials

Technical Communication Quarterly Jan 2025

A Black Fetus? Examining Social Justice in Medical Illustrations in Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) Pedagogical Materials

G. Edzordzi Agbozo University of North Carolina Wilmington ; Isidore K. Dorpenyo ; Godwin Y. Agboka University of Houston - Downtown

Abstract

Although the field of illustration is a major topic in technical and professional communication (TPC), social justice regarding medical illustrations is yet to be investigated. Drawing from an analysis of TPC journals, program websites, textbooks, and syllabi, this study explores how TPC could advance a social justice view on medical illustration, especially in the textbooks that we use in teaching medical and science writing courses. Not only did we find that very few medical and science writing textbooks included illustrations, but a significant number of illustrations were white. We suggest intentionality in the choice of pedagogical materials, overt discussion of social justice in the curriculum, and critical borrowing of pedagogical materials.