MACMILLAN Health, Culture and Society: Conceptual Legacies and Contemporary Applications

This book traces the history of formative, enduring concepts, foundational in the development of the health disciplines. It explores existing literature, and subsequent contested applications. Feminist legacies are discussed with a clear message that early sociological and anthropological theories and debates remain valuable to scholars today. Chapters cover historical events and cultural practices from the standpoint of ‘difference’; formulate theories about the emergence of social issues and problems and discuss health and illness in light of cultural values and practices, social conditions, embodiment and emotions. This collection will be of great value to scholars of biomedicine, health and gender. Review “This terrific book is overdue and sorely needed. After half a century of medical sociology and anthropology, revisiting and revisioning their conceptual legacies is vital. Contested key concepts have been modified to enable their continued analytic utility. Here, we grasp their trajectories of development, related debates, and prior research applications. Placed in productive conversation with one another, they provide ambitious, rich and useful resources for moving both fields forward as biomedicine expands transnationally.” (Adele E. Clarke, Professor Emerita of Sociology & History of Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco) “This unique book offers a timely analysis of key concepts used in health research. The authors describe the tacit theoretical frameworks and assumptions in contemporary health and medical sociology and medical anthropology. They emphasize the complexity of the conceptual frameworks and challenge the reader to engage in a critical reading of the classical texts.” (Elianne Riska, Professor of Sociology, emerita, University of Helsinki, Finland) From the Back Cover This book traces the history of formative, enduring concepts, foundational in the development of the health disciplines. It explores existing literature, and subsequent contested applications. Feminist legacies are discussed with a clear message that early sociological and anthropological theories and debates remain valuable to scholars today. Chapters cover historical events and cultural practices from the standpoint of ‘difference’; formulate theories about the emergence of social issues and problems and discuss health and illness in light of cultural values and practices, social conditions, embodiment and emotions. This collection will be of great value to scholars of biomedicine, health and gender. About the Author Elizabeth Ettorre is Professor Emerita of Sociology, University of Liverpool, UK.  Ellen Annandale is Professor of Sociology, York University, UK. Ana Porroche-Escudero is a Research Associate, Lancaster University, UK. Vanessa M. Hildebrand is Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Case Western Reserve University, USA.  Barbara Katz Rothman is a Professor of Sociology, Baruch College and Graduate Center, CUNY, USA.