Managing Uncertainty: Ethnographic Studies of Illness, Risk, and the Struggle for Control (Critical Anthropology)

The overall focus of this book is the ways humans deal with life conditions, with destiny, uncertainty and misfortune – how we try to control the risks of living through medicines, technologies and magic. When dealing with questions of health and illness rational solutions and meaningful explanations may be hard to find, and treatment efforts are often guided just as much by hope as by rational choice. Evaluating the risks of illness is just one of a number of ways in which human beings attempt to exert some sense of control over their lives. New methods of testing for ills and new developments in, for example, genetic screening and in vitro fertilisation combined with the growing demands of well-informed patients seem to have turned concern from the actual problems of specific diseases toward controlling life and the risks of living in general. The chapters of this book reflect a common effort to transgress the limits of the medical by drawing on a fundamental concern with the logic of social and cultural practice. The book represents a de-medicalization of medical anthropology and a return to some of the classic themes in anthropology but with a different approach, emphasizing subjectivity, intentionality and agency. He Overall Focus Of This Book Is The Ways Humans Deal With Life Conditions, With Destiny, Uncertainty And Misfortune -- How We Try To Control The Risks Of Living Through Medicines, Technologies And Magic. When Dealing With Questions Of Health And Illness Rational Solutions And Meaningful Explanations May Be Hard To Find, And Treatment Efforts Are Often Guided Just As Much By Hope As By Rational Choice. Evaluating The Risks Of Illness Is Just One Of A Number Of Ways In Which Human Beings Attempt To Exert Some Sense Of Control Over Their Lives. New Methods Of Testing For Ills And New Developments In, For Example, Genetic Screening And In Vitro Fertilization Combined With The Growing Demands Of Well-informed Patients Seem To Have Turned Concern From The Actual Problems Of Specific Diseases Toward Controlling Life And The Risks Of Living In General. The Chapters Of This Book Reflect A Common Effort To Transgress The Limits Of The Medical By Drawing On A Fundamental Concern With The Logic Of Social And Cultural Practice. The Book Represents A De-medicalization Of Medical Anthropology And A Return To Some Of The Classic Themes In Anthropology But With A Different Approach, Emphasizing Subjectivity, Intentionality And Agency. 1. Matters Of Life And Death / Richard Jenkins, Hanne Jessen And Vibeke Steffen -- 2. Restoration Of Social Order Through The Extinction Of Non-human Children / Jonina Einarsdottir -- 3. Birth Control, Life Control : Female Sterilisation In Northeast Brazil / Anne Line Dalsgaard -- 4. Close Encounters With Infertility And Procreative Technology / Tine Tjornhoj-thomsen -- 5. Pursuing Knowledge About A Genetic Risk Of Cancer / Mette Nordahl Svendsen -- 6. Blood-stealing Rumours In Western Kenya : A Local Critique Of Medical Research In Its Global Context / Paul Wenzel Geissler -- 7. The Disorders Of Displacement : Bosnian Refugees And The Reconstitution Of Normality / Marita Eastmond. Edited By Richard Jenkins, Hanne Jessen And Vibeke Steffen. This Collection Of Essays Is Based On Papers That Were Presented At The Second Nordic Workshop On Medical Anthropology, Held In Denmark In January 2000--p. 7. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 265-[283]).