Daniel Menchik, PhD

Daniel Menchik, PhD, conducts research on the cultures and social organization of medicine, science and other areas of expert work. His work explores how social relationships among individuals, groups and institutions shape the creation and use of knowledge, as well as the dynamics of social status and authority. He employs a diverse methodological approach, including social network analysis, archival and library research, content analysis, interviews and ethnographic observation.

In his book Managing Medical Authority, Menchik examines how doctors organize their work to maintain control over tasks, strengthen medicine’s coalescence and, ultimately, manage its authority. His recent research includes studies on the linguistic strategies professionals use in end-of-life interactions, the emergence of the idea of "levels" in sociology, and the automation of expert knowledge in medicine and other fields. His cross-national fieldwork on medical automation is supported by a grant from the Bi-National Science Foundation.