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Globalisation and medicine in Trinidad
Author(s) -
Reznik David L.,
Murphy John W.,
Belgrave Linda Liska
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2007.01000.x
Subject(s) - globalization , medicalization , dualism , normative , sociology , mainstream , context (archaeology) , social science , epistemology , political science , medicine , law , geography , philosophy , archaeology , psychiatry
In a qualitative study of urban Trinidadians who work in the medical industry, the concept of medical globalisation was provisionally analysed. Two research questions were addressed: what is globalisation, in the context of mainstream medicine, and how is this process manifested in everyday practices? Four fundamental principles of medical globalisation emerged from in‐depth interviews and analysis of observational materials: (1) the notion of history as an autonomous force with globalisation as the latest stage, (2) the expansion of ‘Total Market’ philosophy as a driving social force, (3) the fragmentation of society into atomistic, self‐interested, and competitive individuals, and (4) the adoption of a ‘centralised’ set of ideals as the normative core necessary for social order. In this paper, findings from this investigation and their implications are discussed. In particular, medical globalisation is linked with major themes in medical sociological theory including dualism and medicalisation.