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Beyond the Ivory Tower: Critical Praxis in Medical Anthropology
Author(s) -
SINGER MERRILL
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
medical anthropology quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.855
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1548-1387
pISSN - 0745-5194
DOI - 10.1525/maq.1995.9.1.02a00060
Subject(s) - praxis , medical anthropology , ivory tower , sociology , work (physics) , health care , applied anthropology , social science , political science , law , mechanical engineering , engineering
Recent discussion in critical medical anthropology has turned to the issue of application beyond the academy. Building on Gorz's notion of “non‐reformist reform,” that is, applied work that unmasks rather than mystifies the sources of social inequality and ill health, this article argues for the possiblity of an applied critical medical anthropology, suggests concrete opportunities for such work in health settings, and identifies problems and social conditions that affect the development of a critical health praxis. These points are illustrated by revieving case studies of anthropological work with the Farm Labor Organizing Committee in Indiana, the United Farm Workers Union in California, and the Hispanic Health Council in Connecticut. The article concludes with an examination of the skills and resources critical medical anthropology has to offer system‐challenging movements in health care.