Medical Anthropology: Regional Perspectives and Shared Concerns

How has medical anthropology developed since the first manuals were published in the United States nearly 30 years ago? Rejecting a linear history in favor of a more kaleidoscopic approach, Medical Anthropology: Regional Perspectives and Shared Concerns explores the answers to this question by examining the multiplicity of intellectual traditions from which it emerged. Taking a closer look at the paths charted by medical anthropologists in Europe and the Americas, this volume offers the reader an overview of the contemporary intellectual landscape of the discipline, as well as insight into its traditions.

This carefully structured volume is written by medical anthropologists of international stature, many of whom have been instrumental in defining the field and charting its course. Part One of this collection looks at medical anthropology in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil; Part Two explores the European traditions of the field; and Part Three provides two case studies that examine medical anthropology thematically rather than regionally. Finally, Margaret Lock’s conclusion to this text considers the history of medical anthropology from a new perspective, pinpointing the elements of convergence beyond its local expressions.