Medical anthropology and development: a theoretical perspective.

The author argues that social and cultural anthropologists interested in medical systems should analyze the social processes involved in terms of development and capitalist penetration; the making social of disease; and their own views of anthropology. The effect of development on indigenous medical practice involves submersion of indigenous medical systems, commoditisation of medical materials, and the interplay of class interests. The making social of disease is concerned with the social state of sickness resulting from the patient's feeling ill due to some biological disease. Examples of analyses of social aspects of sickness from Lusaka, Ethiopia, India and Wales are cited to illustrate the usefulness of this type of inquiry. Analysis of local medical systems should be carried out in a way that demonstrates the articulation of customs at the local level with ideological, political and economic systems at national and international levels, reflecting a broad vision of the goals of anthropology.