Exploring Medical Anthropology [Paperback]

Donald Joralemon (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205270069 | ISBN-13: 978-0205270064 | Publication Date: September 23, 1998 | Edition: 1

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

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.

About the Author

Donald Joralemon is professor of anthropology at Smith College.  He received his BA from Oberlin College (1974) and his MA and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles (1983).  He is the author of Exploring Medical Anthropology (1999, third edition 2010) and the coauthor (with Douglas Sharon) of Sorcery and Shamanism: Curanderos and Clients in Northern Peru (1993).  Among his published articles on Peruvian shamanism is the widely cited essay, “The Selling of the Shaman and the Problem of Informant Legitimacy” (Journal of Anthropological Research, 1990).  His present work focuses on the anthropology of organ transplantation and medical ethics.  His article “Organ Wars: The Battle for Body Parts” (Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 1995) won the Polgar Prize from the Society for Medical Anthropology.  His most recent publications, on the medical ethics of financial compensation for organ donors, appear in the Journal of Medical Ethics (2001) and The Hastings Center Report (2003).  An article on the concept of medical futility was published in the Cambridge Quarterly of Health Care Ethics (2002).

 

At Smith College, Professor Joralemon teaches Medical Anthropology, Native South Americans, Dying and Death,  and a seminar on Anthropology and Medical Ethics

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 1 edition (September 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205270069
• ISBN-13: 978-0205270064
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,168,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for people who want an introduction to Med. Anthro, June 15, 2000

By 

April Rain (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exploring Medical Anthropology (Paperback)

The book is a great resource for someone who is just being introduced to medical anthropology. It is short and sweet. It describes all the basic aspects of medical anthropology by using real research in South America and the US as an example. It also introduces all the major debates out there in the field and in regard to different persceptives.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars introduction to medical anthropology, September 23, 2010

By 

Donatello - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exploring Medical Anthropology (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I am a new student to anthropology and Joralemon's book was 'recommended' (required) text for my course. It is short (136 'big print' pages of actual text, good margin space for making notes) which is a bonus to students where other texts are measured by the kilo. It could be read from cover to cover in a day or two. However, the shortness to my mind reflects its lack of width and depth. Joralemon's case studies are interesting and of value, but narrow and situated for a North American market. There is nothing on Indo-Asian medical anthropology, or European. Complementary and Alternative therapies (CAM)are barely mentioned and traditional medicines are only covered with Shamanism in Peru - nothing substantial of Africa, aboriginal or other. The words, 'holistic, spiritual, psychological, mental, emotional' (as examples) do not appear in the index and the focus is the biomedicine of North America.

I found the book a disappointment compared to my only other comparison of an introductory text such as Joy Hendry's "Introduction to Social Anthropology" (Palgrave) in which I was able to learn of things throughout history and geographically dispersed, it is a book I will refer to again. Joralemon is a 'light start' to the concepts of medical anthropology but in my personal opinion, should not be a sole text for learning in this subject area.

I did find the book easy to read in terms of its written style and choice of language. the technical words are explained in the text and some are also included in a glossary at the back of the book. Joralemon cites other authors who are (to my limited knowledge) well regarded and provide good leads for further reading. I just wish he had less of a personal focus and a bit more of a 'what is medical anthropology' approach (short descriptions of various aspects with a case study and further references) as in some edited texts, which would give the book a lifespan beyond one course. I can only conclude that as University staff select this book as a compulsory or recommended text it is because they think it is good (it is in a third edition); or because there is nothing else yet to replace it.

Joralemon (on page 135) explains that he "sought to convey the impressive accomplishments" of the relatively new field of medical anthropology, the breadth of ethnography, the blending of biological and cultural perspectives on health, what and how medical anthropology can achieve for communities. He has succeeded in introducing these topics to a reader at an introductory level. A fuller understanding of medical anthropology would require more reading than this text book and my view is that you probably won't refer to this book much after the class you needed it for - but you may for the references given in the back. If you live outside of North America this book will give you a western-western view of biomedicine and medical anthropology's place in it and will definitely need to supplement with other reading.

This is somewhat of a mixed review - but I am trying to recognise that Joralemon has written a text for a North American market based on his ethnographic research and applied that to medical anthropology for a particular audience. However, in my required use of it, it is presented as the 'what is medical anthropology' and it doesn't do it for me.

I offer thanks to Dr Joralemon for writing something of value to students, I would imagine that in his own teachings on medical anthropology he moves beyond this text. Also, the limitation of content may be one of the publisher's required size and not his own wishes.

4.0 out of 5 stars Exploring Medical Anthropology, October 8, 2010

By 

Stacyface - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Exploring Medical Anthropology (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

The book came in good condition and I'm enjoying it so far. I'm reading the book for a Medical Anthropology class I'm taking at UCI this quarter. It has good references to the ethnographies that Joralemon has participated in. So far, I'm enjoying the course and the book.