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Reimagining Global Health: An Introduction
Bringing together the experience, perspective and expertise of Paul Farmer, Jim Yong Kim, and Arthur Kleinman, Reimagining Global Health provides an original, compelling introduction to the field of global health. Drawn from a Harvard course developed by their student Matthew Basilico, this work provides an accessible and engaging framework for the study of global health. Insisting on an approach that is historically deep and geographically broad, the authors underline the importance of a transdisciplinary approach, and offer a highly readable distillation of several historical and ethnographic perspectives of contemporary global health problems.
The case studies presented throughout Reimagining Global Health bring together ethnographic, theoretical, and historical perspectives into a wholly new and exciting investigation of global health. The interdisciplinary approach outlined in this text should prove useful not only in schools of public health, nursing, and medicine, but also in undergraduate and graduate classes in anthropology, sociology, political economy, and history, among others.
The case studies presented throughout Reimagining Global Health bring together ethnographic, theoretical, and historical perspectives into a wholly new and exciting investigation of global health. The interdisciplinary approach outlined in this text should prove useful not only in schools of public health, nursing, and medicine, but also in undergraduate and graduate classes in anthropology, sociology, political economy, and history, among others.
508 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
95 people are currently reading
1794 people want to read
About the author
Paul Farmer
59 books664 followersPaul Farmer was an American medical anthropologist and physician. He was Professor of Medical Anthropology at Harvard Medical School and Founding Director of Partners In Health. Among his books are Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues (1999), The Uses of Haiti (1994), and AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame (1992). Farmer was the recipient of numerous awards, including a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award and the Margaret Mead Award for his contributions to public anthropology.
Farmer was born in the U.S.A. in 1959. He married Didi Bertrand Farmer in 1996 and they had three children. He died in Rwanda in 2022, at the age of 62.
Farmer was born in the U.S.A. in 1959. He married Didi Bertrand Farmer in 1996 and they had three children. He died in Rwanda in 2022, at the age of 62.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 21, 2014
As a student studying the lack of adequate healthcare in post-conflict nation-states, I found that this compilation of entries provided a great overview with a full spectrum of perspectives ranging from medical, anthropological, political, and philosophical professionals. All of them do a wonderful job outlining the problems of identifying need, determining solutions, and brining them to a quantitative scale. A refreshing change from other global health problems journals and texts that focus strictly on one perspective without cross-examining all of the different factors contributing to the issue, and provide little to no solution. I definitely recommend this as an introductory text to the topic.
July 7, 2016
For those interested in public and/or global health this is an excellent read. The topics are interesting and it can easily be cherry picked just to get what you find the most compelling. Overall it provides a great education basis for the history of global health, how it has evolved, who drove that evolution, and the resulting implications for the people who are affected. Highly recommend this.
Currently reading
March 6, 2019One of Erin's textbooks. I read a portion during her visit here in Feb. 2019.
July 22, 2019
A great look into the ongoing discussion of the relationship between culture and health. Definitely a must read for healthcare workers, medical anthropologists, or anyone interested in learning about health disparities.
May 22, 2016
This is an introduction to Paul Farmer et. al.'s perspective on global health systems. It begins with making the case for a biosocial philosophy to underlie analysis of global health. The notion of "socialization of scarcity" was very interesting. Provides some history of international/global health. It overwhelmingly focused on healthcare delivery science with very little on WASH, environmental health, etc.
June 28, 2017
The book does a good job blending the theories underlying global health with cases and historical events. The messages of greatest importance were frequently repeated in various contexts. Overall, the book's a bit dry, but extremely thorough; it can serve as a cornerstone for undergraduate/medical school global health courses.
May 30, 2014
An excellent text that gives a social-anthropological perspective of global health, including detailed case studies.
August 21, 2021
Such a good introduction to global health and what it needs to look like in the 21st century. The authors really go the extra mile in covering all their bases to ensure that the book is truly biosocial. From a historical overview of colonial medicine and the chronology of global health over time, to the political economy of disease and adaptability to social contexts, this book covers every arena of global health that matters and even those that don't seem to because they're neglected. It will pick at your brain, and do so in an engaging way through using a mix of statistics and evidence-based data reports, to anecdotes and fun facts, to real life examples. You definitely wouldn't get bored of it.
August 21, 2020
Reread of an Intro to Global Health textbook in preparation for my master's in international development. Highly readable and offers some insight and reflections on recent and emerging global health issues that every health professional, health researcher, and health policymaker should be aware of.
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November 14, 2022u know what. no one say anything. yes i put a textbook on here but i didn’t read 500 fucking pages about global health for it not to count towards my reading goal. ok that’s it goodbye. this was class interesting.
February 23, 2019
Definitely need to reread. What a beast of a book; incredibly interesting and pertinent.
February 29, 2020
A great introduction on the evolution on Global Health
December 18, 2020
An essential book (even really like a textbook) for anyone interested in learning the basics of global health policy, interventions, and contributions.
September 20, 2021
A great resource and introduction to the last few decades of global health.
November 9, 2023
Excellent book on global health. This book provides deep insight into the challenges and successes that have occurred in delivering healthcare globally.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
August 5, 2025
Read for a class. Really enjoyed it.
August 13, 2025
An excellent book, especially for public health students though there's something for anyone who is interested even a little in history and science.
May 1, 2022
An interesting and clear collection of essays that served as a good primer on global health especially considering views and ideas outside of the mainstream
October 17, 2025
Reimagining Global Health challenges the belief that specific interventions or technological innovation alone are enough to improve health outcomes. It argues that only a biosocial and interdisciplinary approach — one that sees health as deeply intertwined with social, ethical, and political realities — can sustainably address the root causes of disease.
A central insight is that well-intentioned actions can fail — or even cause harm — when they ignore local realities and the structural forces that perpetuate inequality (e.g. the historic failure of the malaria eradication campaign). Understanding history, culture, politics, and economics is essential to act responsibly and meaningfully.
The book advocates moving beyond short-term, fragmented projects toward long-term strategies that strengthen national health systems. One compelling alternative to both the disease-focused (vertical) and system-focused (horizontal) models is the “diagonal” approach, which uses targeted programs (e.g. HIV treatment) as leverage to build broader system capacity.
It delivers a sharp critique of the “charitable” model and the fragmentation caused by uncoordinated NGOs. When disproportionate funding flows to external actors without alignment with government systems, public health infrastructure is often weakened rather than reinforced. Helping is not enough — sustainable support must involve investing in public institutions and building local capacity.
The book also highlights how diseases like multidrug-resistant tuberculosis or mental disorders, which cause immense suffering but don’t significantly increase mortality, are routinely sidelined in global agendas. This reflects the so-called “10/90 gap,” where only 10% of research funding is directed toward issues that affect 90% of the world’s population — a stark example of how priorities are shaped by politics and economics, not need.
Global health, then, is not merely a technical field — it is deeply human, ethical, and political. It demands attention to justice, human rights, and solidarity, as well as cultural humility and critical self-reflection from those working in the field. It’s about treating patients as equals and acknowledging how colonial legacies, political decisions, and global economic systems shape health outcomes.
At its core, the book defends three essential principles: 1) sustainability, by reducing dependence on foreign aid and empowering local professionals and systems; 2) dignity, by treating communities as active partners rather than passive recipients; and 3) equity, by ensuring access to care regardless of origin, characteristics, or ability to pay. «No society can be healthy without ensuring the health and development of all its people», as states the Alma-Ata Declaration.
This is not just a diagnosis of global health’s failures — it is a call to action. Every medical student and health professional is a potential agent of change. Without collective awareness and a commitment to justice, even the best-designed programs will remain palliative responses in a deeply unequal world.
A central insight is that well-intentioned actions can fail — or even cause harm — when they ignore local realities and the structural forces that perpetuate inequality (e.g. the historic failure of the malaria eradication campaign). Understanding history, culture, politics, and economics is essential to act responsibly and meaningfully.
The book advocates moving beyond short-term, fragmented projects toward long-term strategies that strengthen national health systems. One compelling alternative to both the disease-focused (vertical) and system-focused (horizontal) models is the “diagonal” approach, which uses targeted programs (e.g. HIV treatment) as leverage to build broader system capacity.
It delivers a sharp critique of the “charitable” model and the fragmentation caused by uncoordinated NGOs. When disproportionate funding flows to external actors without alignment with government systems, public health infrastructure is often weakened rather than reinforced. Helping is not enough — sustainable support must involve investing in public institutions and building local capacity.
The book also highlights how diseases like multidrug-resistant tuberculosis or mental disorders, which cause immense suffering but don’t significantly increase mortality, are routinely sidelined in global agendas. This reflects the so-called “10/90 gap,” where only 10% of research funding is directed toward issues that affect 90% of the world’s population — a stark example of how priorities are shaped by politics and economics, not need.
Global health, then, is not merely a technical field — it is deeply human, ethical, and political. It demands attention to justice, human rights, and solidarity, as well as cultural humility and critical self-reflection from those working in the field. It’s about treating patients as equals and acknowledging how colonial legacies, political decisions, and global economic systems shape health outcomes.
At its core, the book defends three essential principles: 1) sustainability, by reducing dependence on foreign aid and empowering local professionals and systems; 2) dignity, by treating communities as active partners rather than passive recipients; and 3) equity, by ensuring access to care regardless of origin, characteristics, or ability to pay. «No society can be healthy without ensuring the health and development of all its people», as states the Alma-Ata Declaration.
This is not just a diagnosis of global health’s failures — it is a call to action. Every medical student and health professional is a potential agent of change. Without collective awareness and a commitment to justice, even the best-designed programs will remain palliative responses in a deeply unequal world.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews