This is me trying to justify my honours paper research:

“The study of CD is the ultimate study in social health geography*. Social geographers have been interested in the “relationship between the changing environment, both “built” and “natural,” as well as the corporeal experiences of health” (Del Casino, 2009) for decades. In the August 2009 edition of Scientific American, CD was touted as one of the most important studies of auto-immune disorders. It was described as the only auto-immune disorder with an extractable environmental correlate (gluten) (Fassano, 2009). This makes CD relevant to both the extra-geographical medical community and the internal community of social health geographers. While it is important to understand how CD  develops on a cellular or chemical level, it is equally as important to understand the social and environmental factors that make an individual more or less susceptible to the disease. It is also of paramount importance to research the social determinants that may encourage or discourage individuals to (a) be tested or screened for CD and (b) live active and healthy lifestyles post-diagnosis.”

Do you think they’ll be convinced? I defend the thesis in two weeks’ time, so please say yes.

*too much? Too bad, I’m going to try to get away with it.