HLTA02H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 0: Hallucinogen, Medical Anthropology, Social Anthropology
Document Summary
Social anthropology = the study of all aspects of society from a cross-cultural perspective. Concerned with both western culture as well as exotic cultures. Anthropology of health and illness aka medical anthropology = exploring the social and cultural dimensions of health, ill-health, and medicine. Medical anthro is also concerned with the experiences and practices of health, illness and healing in different social and cultural contexts. E. g. of topics of study critiques of professional healing systems, differing cultural variations in conception of health and illness, cultural universals in health and illness, differing disease patterns, experiences and diagnoses and political and social forces that affect health/illness. Ethnography = qualitative research approach to study culture and specific cultural groups. It deals with the observation of behaviour, customs, rituals, interactions and practices. Relating to health, ethnographic research can help understand belief systems about health and illness in other cultures.
