Exploring Medical Anthropology

Drawing on the author's research on Peruvian shamanism and organ transplantation in the United States, this book is a concise and readable introduction to medical anthropology. The author uses ethnographic material from South America and the U.S. to illustrate his key points: 1) that biology and culture matter equally in the human experience of disease; 2) that the political economy is a primary epidemiological factor; 3) that ethnography is an essential tool to understand human suffering due to disease; and 4) that medical anthropology can help to alleviate human suffering. Major topics include biological, social, and cultural interconnections in medicine and disease; anthropological questions and methods in the study of sickness and healing; healers and the healing professions; applications of medical anthropology; and ethical issues. For anyone interested in learning how biology and culture interact in the study and treatment of disease.