Anthropology of Infectious Disease

by Merrill Singer

This book synthesizes the flourishing field of anthropology of infectious disease in a critical, biocultural framework. Leading medical anthropologist Merrill Singer holistically unites the behaviors of microorganisms and the activities of complex social systems, showing how we exist with pathogenic agents of disease in a complex process of co-evolution. He also connects human diseases to larger ecosystems and various other species that are future sources of new human infections. Anthropology of Infectious Disease integrates and advances research in this growing, multifaceted area and offers an ideal supplement to courses in anthropology, public health, development studies, and related fields.

Genres: Anthropology, Science

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2014

Reviews

[Amber Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned A LOT from this book, and overall it is nicely written and very readable. The biggest critique to level at this book is one that I honestly would not have noticed had one of my PhD committee members not mentioned it (though since she did I recognize the problem). The title of this book claims that it is the anthropology of infectious disease but in reality it is the cultural anthropology of infectious disease. Singer largely neglects to incorporate the work of physical anthropologists and archaeologists who have studied infectious disease, and there are many who have. For example, if Singer is trying to represent anthropology's contribution as a whole to the study of infectious disease he could have included a chapter on the work these subfields have done on infectious disease in prehistoric and ancient populations.
That being said, I like the incorporation of public health perspectives and discussions of medical anthropological theory that are included. He does a nice job incorporating theory in a readable way and gives good summaries of these perspectives, like critical medical anthropology. I also think his chapter on syndemics is an important one and he does an excellent job throughout illustrating the interplay between biology and culture in the way infectious diseases play out around the world.
If you have any interest in infectious disease and/or medical anthropology definitely add this to your reading list!

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read ~50% of this for comps

[Mills College Library]

616.9 S61731 2015