The research Prof. Katvan conducts is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, combining the fields of Law, Medicine, Women/Gender, Ethics and History, focusing on: 1. the Health/Medical Profession(s) and Bioethics (and women in the health professions); 2. the Legal Profession(s) and Legal (professional) Ethics (and women in the legal professions); as well as the inter-relations between these professions (such as the sociological, ethical, historical, empirical and feminist methodology or approaches. These issues are also part of the Legal and Medical Humanities (Legal History; the History of Medicine; Bioethics); and 3. Kavod/Honor (including within the professions). His research interests have evolved over the years – through various disciplines and research methods, in a way which allows a more thorough and precise reflection of each phenomena.

​

These combinations create a new set of knowledge about the way professions evolved (History of Law & Medicine; legal history of the professions) and the way professions operate these days; the way these professions and professionals influence one another, and the way each profession can teach us about the other professions. The fact that each of these themes is examined from various angles– gender, history, ethics, etc. – using different methodological tools, provides a rich and accurate picture, and enables understanding of the mixed interests of the various “players", the latent functions and the symbols of each phenomena or practice.   

 

The specific topics I researched also facilitate a better understanding of basic issues and questions, such as age and ageism; the importance of transparency in the legal and medical practices (enhancing public confidence); scarce medical and legal resources; judicial independence; access to justice; freedom of speech; honor; the importance of symbols; Anglicization; and differential legislation, among others.  

 

A major portion of these studies is groundbreaking and benefits from cooperation with researchers from other disciplines. Many of these studies have been published in the leading peer-reviewed legal, historical, women’s studies and medical journals.