A Companion to Medical Anthropology

A Companion to Medical Anthropology, Second Edition provides readers with a wide-ranging exploration of the world’s health systems and healing practices from an anthropological perspective. Specially commissioned articles written by leading international scholars investigate how global, historical, cultural, economic, and political factors influence the ways health and illness are experienced and understood. The contributors critically evaluate and interpret an array of contemporary issues, debates, and controversies while discussing theoretical and methodological advances, emerging trends, and future research directions.

Fully updated throughout, the second edition of the companion addresses the most recent developments in the anthropology of health and medicine. New and revised entries cover topics including anthropological approaches to migration and health, political violence and war, poverty, malnutrition, illicit drug abuse, climate change, biomedicine, syndemics, ethnomedicines, COVID-19, medical pluralism, the ecology of health and disease, and more.

A Companion to Medical Anthropology, Second Edition remains the definitive reference work for scholars, educators, and researchers in the dynamic, rapidly growing field. It is also an excellent textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in medical anthropology, ethnomedicine, global health care, and medical policy.