On Knowing and Not Knowing in the Anthropology of Medicine

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Anthropology
Cover of the book On Knowing and Not Knowing in the Anthropology of Medicine by , Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781315423319
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: July 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781315423319
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: July 1, 2016
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

Social scientific studies of medicine typically assume that systems of medical knowledge are uniform and consistent. But while anthropologists have long rejected the notion that cultures are discrete, bounded, and rule-drive entities, medical anthropology has been slower to develop alternative approaches to understanding cultures of health. This provocative volume considers the theoretical, methodological, and ethnographic implications of the fact that medical knowledge is frequently dynamic, incoherent, and contradictory, and that and our understanding of it is necessarily incomplete and partial. In diverse settings from indigenous cultures to Western medical industries, contributors consider such issues as how to define the boundaries of “medical” knowledge versus other kinds of knowledge; how to understand overlapping and shifting medical discourses; the medical profession’s need for anthropologists to produce “explanatory models”; the limits of the Western scientific method and the potential for methodological pluralism; constraints on fieldwork including violence and structural factors limiting access; and the subjectivity and interests of the researcher. On Knowing and Not Knowing in the Anthropology of Medicine will stimulate innovative thinking and productive debate for practitioners, researchers, and students in the social science of health and medicine.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Social scientific studies of medicine typically assume that systems of medical knowledge are uniform and consistent. But while anthropologists have long rejected the notion that cultures are discrete, bounded, and rule-drive entities, medical anthropology has been slower to develop alternative approaches to understanding cultures of health. This provocative volume considers the theoretical, methodological, and ethnographic implications of the fact that medical knowledge is frequently dynamic, incoherent, and contradictory, and that and our understanding of it is necessarily incomplete and partial. In diverse settings from indigenous cultures to Western medical industries, contributors consider such issues as how to define the boundaries of “medical” knowledge versus other kinds of knowledge; how to understand overlapping and shifting medical discourses; the medical profession’s need for anthropologists to produce “explanatory models”; the limits of the Western scientific method and the potential for methodological pluralism; constraints on fieldwork including violence and structural factors limiting access; and the subjectivity and interests of the researcher. On Knowing and Not Knowing in the Anthropology of Medicine will stimulate innovative thinking and productive debate for practitioners, researchers, and students in the social science of health and medicine.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Practical DV Filmmaking by
Cover of the book Social Psychology and Politics by
Cover of the book The Rights of Woman as Chimera by
Cover of the book Digital Platforms, Imperialism and Political Culture by
Cover of the book Maritime Law and Policy in China by
Cover of the book Aggression and Violence by
Cover of the book Healthcare IT Transformation by
Cover of the book A History of Egypt from the End of the Neolithic Period to the Death of Cleopatra VII B.C. 30 (Routledge Revivals) by
Cover of the book Archaeology and Capitalism by
Cover of the book Johann Sleidan and the Protestant Vision of History by
Cover of the book Guidebook on Helping Persons with Mental Retardation Mourn by
Cover of the book Internet Reference Support for Distance Learners by
Cover of the book Young Men in Prison by
Cover of the book Even Paranoids Have Enemies by
Cover of the book Defying Convention, Inventing the Future in Literary Research and Practice by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy