“A Companion to Medical Anthropology, edited by Merrill Singer and Pamela I. Erickson, is quite simply the best overview that is currently available of the field of medical anthropology in the early 21st century. The chapters brought together in this volume provide not only a definitive overview of an intellectual field, but also a clear sense of medical anthropology’s engagement with the world of politics, policy and practice. This is critical social research at its very best.”
Richard G. Parker, Columbia University
“With its broad scope and accomplished contributors, this volume will be a primary reference for all medical anthropologists and students of the field. Its comprehensive coverage extends both to dominant and emerging themes in the discipline.”
James Trostle, Trinity College
From the Inside Flap
In a global environment of enormous health challenges, medical anthropologists offer important understandings of health systems and healing practices around the world. These leading international scholars assess our persisting problems of malnutrition, chronic and infectious diseases, and the influence of escalating levels of inequality, poverty, war, and genocide.
A Companion to Medical Anthropology examines the key issues and controversies in medical anthropology today. Singer and Erickson present a thorough assessment of a specific area of medical anthropology, including expert overviews of major topics such as environmental health, global health, biotechnology, syndemics, nutrition, substance abuse, infectious disease, and sexuality and reproductive health. The authors also provide a guide to future trends and the emerging issues that will shape the future of medical anthropology and global health for years to come.
From the Back Cover
BLACKWELL COMPANIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY
A Companion to Medical Anthropology
“It will be of use to undergraduates and postgraduates, as well as proving worthwhile to academics seeking accessible summaries of areas outside their specialism.”
Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
“A Companion to Medical Anthropology, edited by Merrill Singer and Pamela I. Erickson, is quite simply the best overview that is currently available of the field of medical anthropology in the early 21st century. The chapters brought together in this volume provide not only a definitive overview of an intellectual field, but also a clear sense of medical anthropology’s engagement with the world of politics, policy and practice. This is critical social research at its very best.”
Richard G. Parker, Columbia University
“With its broad scope and accomplished contributors, this volume will be a primary reference for all medical anthropologists and students of the field. Its comprehensive coverage extends both to dominant and emerging themes in the discipline.”
James Trostle, Trinity College
In a global environment of enormous health challenges, medical anthropologists offer important understandings of health systems and healing practices around the world. These leading international scholars assess our persisting problems of malnutrition, chronic and infectious diseases, and the influence of escalating levels of inequality, poverty, war, and genocide.
A Companion to Medical Anthropology examines the key issues and controversies in medical anthropology today. Singer and Erickson present a thorough assessment of a specific area of medical anthropology, including expert overviews of major topics such as environmental health, global health, biotechnology, syndemics, nutrition, substance abuse, infectious disease, and sexuality and reproductive health. The authors also provide a guide to future trends and the emerging issues that will shape the future of medical anthropology and global health for years to come.
About the Author
Merrill Singer is Professor at the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Community Medicine, University of Connecticut; and Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention.
Pamela I. Erickson is Professor at the Department of Anthropology and Department of Community Medicine, University of Connecticut.