This comparative text examines the rise of non-orthodox medicine and theorizes the changing nature of health care in modern societies. It engages with sociological debates on modernity and postmodernity, anthropological work.
Author(s): Sarah; Sh Cant
Year: 1999
Language: English
Pages: 240
Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Dedication......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Acknowledgements......Page 7
The re-emergence of complementary medicine in western countries......Page 8
What do we mean by pluralism?......Page 10
Problems of scope and definition......Page 12
Medical sociology and alternative medicine: what might a sociological account of alternative medicine look like?......Page 16
What is the field and who are the players?......Page 21
Alternative practitioners......Page 23
The state......Page 24
Encompassing concerns......Page 25
CHAPTER 2 The nature of user demand: from patient to consumer?......Page 27
Theorizing consumption of alternative medicine......Page 30
How extensive is the demand for alternative medicine?......Page 34
Who are the users?......Page 35
Popular therapies and patterns of care......Page 37
Motivations to consume......Page 43
Conclusion......Page 51
Notes......Page 55
CHAPTER 3 From “alternative” to “complementary”: revival and transformation......Page 57
The revival of “alternative” medicine......Page 61
A brief comment on the social context: the influence of key players......Page 65
All change: the transformation of content and practice......Page 67
Codification and accreditation......Page 68
The tempering of knowledge claims......Page 71
Alignment to the scientific paradigm......Page 74
Boundary construction......Page 75
The pan-organizational body: the voice of complementary medicine?......Page 78
The reality of being a practitioner......Page 79
Fission or fusion: implications for the plural market......Page 83
Notes......Page 87
CHAPTER 4 Biomedical responses to alternative medicine......Page 89
Homoeopathy......Page 92
Acupuncture......Page 94
Osteopathy......Page 95
Alternative medicine as a generic issue......Page 98
Doctors’ attitudes: survey research......Page 102
Holism in biomedicine......Page 106
Other professional groups......Page 107
The British Medical Association (again)......Page 109
The Campaign Against Health Fraud and the role of the pharmaceuticals......Page 111
The Bristol Cancer Help Centre furore......Page 115
Medical responses: a comparative view......Page 119
Discussion......Page 126
Theoretical approaches......Page 131
Shifts in government intervention......Page 138
The state, interest groups and health policy......Page 140
The state and the medical profession: a special relationship?......Page 141
The state and complementary medicine: a changing relationship?......Page 143
Origins and history of chiropractic......Page 147
Making ready for registration......Page 149
The medical profession—a steel fist in a velvet glove?......Page 150
State registration and its provisions......Page 152
Conclusions......Page 155
Notes......Page 158
Medical dominance revisited......Page 160
What does “integration” of biomedicine and alternative medicine mean?......Page 163
“Integrated” clinics and health centres: power and communication at the micro-level......Page 165
Primary health care and “dialogue groups” in the community......Page 169
Patient empowerment......Page 172
Integration as the practice and knowledge of alternative medicine by doctors......Page 175
Medical pluralism and medical dominance: lessons from the post-colonial countries......Page 179
Conclusion......Page 186
Alternative medicine and pluralistic legitimation......Page 187
The re-emergence of alternative medicine: patients, practitioners, doctors and governments......Page 189
Alternative medicine and sociological theory......Page 191
What is the “new medical pluralism” like and how is it different from the old one?......Page 196
Should we welcome the new medical pluralism?......Page 198
BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 202
INDEX......Page 221
