A Diagnosis for Our Times

Jonathan David Geczik, Matthew Schneirov

Description

Despite having one of the most advanced systems of medicine in the world, American consumers are increasingly turning to alternative medicine. Through a study of two alternative health networks, one "New Age" and the other conservative Christian, A Diagnosis for Our Times examines the health regimes followed by clients of alternative practitioners, the way people find meaning in non-Western and pre-modern health traditions, and the relationship between alternative health and other movements for change. In sharp contrast with other work on this subject, this book characterizes alternative health as a social movement and a "cultural laboratory" where people discover new values and new ways of living that may have larger implications. The authors discover surprising commonalities between the cultural left and the religious right when it comes to healthcare, and they evaluate the potential of alternative health to contribute to a new healthcare paradigm.

Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION

1. The Study of Alternative Health

2. Biomedicine and the Loss of Meaning

3. Between the Aura and the Commodity

4. Technologies of the Self

5. New Social Movements

6. From Alternative to Complementary Medicine

CONCLUSION

Notes

Index

Sujets

• Complementary Medicine
• Sociology
• Alternative medicine

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791486818
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

A Diagnosis for Our Times Alternative Health, from Lifeworld to Politics

Matthew Schneirov and Jonathan David Geczik

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A D IAGNOSIS FOR O UR T IMES

SUNY series in the Sociology of Culture Charles R. Simpson, editor

A D IAGNOSIS FOR O UR T IMES Alternative Health, from Lifeworld to Politics

M ATTHEW S CHNEIROV J ONATHAN D AVID G ECZIK

S TATE U NIVERSITY P RESS OF N EW Y ORK

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2003 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing by the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

Production by Kelli Williams Marketing by Jennifer Giovani

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication-Data

Schneirov, Matthew. A diagnosis for our times: alternative health, from lifeworld to politics / Matthew Schneirov, Jonathan David Geczik. p. cm.—(SUNY series in sociology of culture) Includes bibliographical and references and index. ISBN 0-7914-5731-1 (hbk.: alk. paper)—ISBN 0-7914-5732-X (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Alternative medicine 2. Social medicine. I. Geczik, Jonathan David II. Title. III. Series.

R733 .S366 2003 615.5—dc21

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2002042635

To Jon whose passion for life and learning made this all possible and to Rebecca, who loves books.

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Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CONCLUSION

Notes

Index

Contents

The Study of Alternative Health

Biomedicine and the Loss of Meaning

Between the Aura and the Commodity

Technologies of the Self

New Social Movements

From Alternative to Complementary Medicine

ix

1

17

4

1

65

99

123

155

183

201

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vii

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