295
Sociology, Theory and Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Language: English
Sociological research on traditional/indigenous medicines (TMs) and complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) has grown into a thriving field, particularly in the last 15-20 years. Empirical studies on the use, practice and organisation of TM/CAM across different geographical areas and within different sectors of the health system have flourished, but theoretical frameworks have generally been limited and underdeveloped.
In this session, we invite submissions that address and deepen theoretical understandings of TM/CAM, illustrated where appropriate by empirical case studies. These may include, but are not limited to:
- broader macro-political issues in TM/CAM, such as the possibilities of integration or the development of hybrid medical forms
- linking embodied experiences (of patients and practitioners) to social movements and trends
- the relationship between TM/CAM and the state and international organisations (such as WHO), including regulatory forms, governance arrangements and the power/legitimacy of heterodox medical forms
- TM/CAM and its relationship to late/post-modernity
- TM/CAM practices and experiences through the lens of the new materialism
- Cross-cultural comparison and theoretical frames for understanding TM/CAM practice as it moves across cultural boundaries.