Indigenous Theories of Contagious Disease

Edward C. Green, experienced anthropologist and prolific writer, offers what can only be described as an engaging comprehensive account of ICT (indigenous Contagion Theories)…. Overall, this book appears to be geared towards those who have little or no knowledge of social explanatons of illnessses or of “layman” beliefs. The author does manage to convey quite successfullly the details of indigenous medical explanations in a langauge that is easily accessible. This book is a good introduction to the area for undergraduate social scientists, health professionals and the general public. — Catherine Heffernan, (University of Oxford) ― Medical Sociology Online, Vol 26.2, June 2002

This important new book paves the way for effective working relationships between indigenous healers and the providers of biomedical health services, and for more effective health promotion and disease prevention across the world…. I would recommend Indigenous Theories of Contagious Disease to medical anthropologists and the others who are interested in the bio-socio-cultural and historical underpinnings of ICTs, as well as to anyone with a concern for indigenous knowledge and development. — Mirjam J.E. van Ewijk, European Research Centre of Migration and Ethnic Relations ― Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, Vol. 8, Issue 1

Anthropologist Edward Green offers here a highly readable contribution to medical and applied anthropology. Based on over twenty-five years of fieldwork and development assistance in Africa, Southeast Asia and other regions, the author of the authoritative sourcebook STD and AIDS in Africa deepens his examination of indigenous healing and disease prevention strategies. ….Anthropologists and other readers interested in the evolutionary and other bio-cultural underpinnings of indigenous systems of contagious illness will find the book’s theoretical reflections, summarized in the final chapter, especially thought-provoking. — Daniel T. Halperin, Community Health Systems Department, University of California, San Francisco ― Social Science & Medicine, (2000)