Biomedicine as Culture: Instrumental Practices, Technoscientific Knowledge, and New Modes of Life (Routledge Studies in Science, Technology and Society)

This volume offers interdisciplinary perspectives on contemporary biomedicine as a cultural practice. It brings together leading scholars from cultural anthropology, sociology, history, and science studies to conduct a critical dialogue on the culture(s) of biomedical practice, discussing its epistemic, material, and social implications. The essays look at the ways new biomedical knowledge is constructed within hospitals and academic settings and at how this knowledge changes perceptions, material arrangements, and social relations, not only within clinics and scientific communities, but especially once it is diffused into a broader cultural context. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Part I: Social and cultural studies of biomedicine......Page 24 1 Medicalizing culture(s) or culturalizing medicine(s)......Page 26 2 Metaphors of medicine and the culture of healing: Historical perspectives......Page 44 3 Medicine as practice and culture: The analysis of border regimes and the necessity of a hermeneutics of physical bodies......Page 56 Part II: Epistemic practices and material culture(s)......Page 68 4 The future is now: Locating biomarkers for dementia......Page 70 5 Embodied action, enacted bodies: The example of hypoglycaemia......Page 96 6 Sociotechnical anatomy: Technology, space, and body in the MRI unit......Page 118 7 Risk and safety in the operating theater: An ethnographic study of sociotechnical practices......Page 132 Part III: Biomedical knowledge in context......Page 148 8 Genomic susceptibility as an emergent form of life?: Genetic testing, identity, and the remit of medicine......Page 150 9 Susceptible individuals and risky rights: Dimensions of genetic responsibility......Page 160 10 “Pop genes”: An investigation of “the gene” in popular parlance......Page 176 11 Genetics and its publics: Crafting genetic literacy and identity in the early twenty-first century......Page 200 12 Constructing the digital patient: Patient organizations and the development of health websites......Page 214 Epilogue: Indeterminate lives, demands, relations: Emergent bioscapes......Page 232 Contributors......Page 238 Index......Page 244 Medicalizing Culture(s) Or Culturalizing Medicine(s) / Stefan Beck -- Metaphors Of Medicine And The Culture Of Healing : Historical Perspectives / Jakob Tanner -- Medicine As Practice And Culture : The Analysis Of Border Regimes And The Necessity Of A Hermeneutics Of Physical Bodies / Gesa Lindemann -- The Future Is Now : Locating Biomarkers For Dementia / Margaret Lock -- Embodied Action, Enacted Bodies : The Example Of Hypoglycaemia / Annemarie Mol And John Law -- Sociotechnical Anatomy : Technology, Space, And Body In The Mri Unit / Regula Valérie Burri -- Risk And Safety In The Operating Theater : An Ethnographic Study Of Sociotechnical Practices / Cornelius Schubert -- Genomic Susceptibility As An Emergent Form Of Life : Genetic Testing, Identity, And The Remit Of Medicine / Nikolas Rose -- Susceptible Individuals And Risky Rights : Dimensions Of Genetic Responsibility / Thomas Lemke -- Pop Genes : An Investigation Of The Gene In Popular Parlance / Barbara Duden And Silja Samerski -- Genetics And Its Publics : Crafting Genetic Literacy And Identity In The Early Twenty-first Century / Karen-sue Taussig -- Constructing The Digital Patient : Patient Organizations And The Development Of Health Websites / Nelly Oudshoorn And André Somers. Edited By Regula Valérie Burri And Joseph Dumit. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Medicalizing culture(s) or culturalizing medicine(s) / Stefan Beck Metaphors of medicine and the culture of healing: historical perspectives / Jakob Tanner Medicine as practice and culture: the analysis of border regimes and the necessity of a hermeneutics of physical bodies / Gesa Lindemann The future is now: locating biomarkers for dementia / Margaret Lock Embodied action, enacted bodies: the example of hypoglycaemia / Annemarie Mol and John Law Sociotechnical anatomy / Regula Valérie Burri Risk and safety in the operating theater: an ethnographic study of socio-technical practices / Cornelius Schubert Genomic susceptibility as an emergent form of life? genetic testing, identity, and the remit of medicine / Nikolas Rose Susceptible individuals and risky rights: dimensions of genetic responsibility / Thomas Lemke "pop genes" : an investigation of "the gene" in popular parlance / Barbara Duden and Silja Samerski Genetics and its publics: crafting genetic literacy and identity in the early twenty-first century / Karen-Sue Taussig Constructing the digital patient: patient organizations and the development of health web sites / Nelly Oudshoorn. This collection of essays brings together leading scholars from cultural anthropology, history, sociology and science studies to conduct a critical dialogue on the culture(s) of biomedical practice, discussing its material, epistemic and social implications.