Understanding and Applying Medical Anthropology : Biosocial and Cultural Approaches

"Understanding and Applying Medical Anthropology is the ‘go-to’ book for teaching medical anthropology or related courses in culture and health. I have used it with great success in many classes. One of its great strengths is that multiple perspectives are covered―ethnomedicine, illness experience, biological interactions with culture and health, political ecology, and cross-cultural healing, among others. As a capstone, the book finishes with a series of chapters on application, so important in today's globalized and diverse world. I recommend it highly!"

- Mark Edberg, George Washington University

"For years, Understanding and Applying Medical Anthropology has served as a great foundational text for my medical anthropology courses. The reader works very well in concert with one of the many health-themed ethnographies. What I especially like is that the volume examines health and medical issues through the lens of biocultural analysis, evolution, cultural interpretation, political ecology, and applied medical anthropology. Students learn to contrast these approaches, assisted by the introductory essays. Health professionals, public health students, and anthropology majors find much to challenge and intrigue them in this collection."

- Laurie Price, California State University, East Bay