by Paul Farmer
First published 2013
Global health demands a fresh perspective that crosses disciplines and spans continents. Paul Farmer, Jim Yong Kim, and Arthur Kleinman combine their decades of experience to create an introductory framework that reaches beyond traditional medical approaches. Originally developed as a Harvard course by student Matthew Basilico, their method insists on historical depth and geographic breadth. The authors weave together ethnographic fieldwork, theoretical analysis, and historical context to examine contemporary health challenges. Case studies throughout the book demonstrate how anthropological insights, political economy, and medical knowledge can work together. This transdisciplinary approach serves students across multiple fields, from public health and medicine to anthropology, sociology, and history. The book offers readers practical tools for understanding health problems as complex social phenomena rather than purely medical issues.
Genres: medical, anthropology, non-fiction, health, academic
Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cross-cultural, transdisciplinary
508 pages · Paperback · University of California Press