Culture, Health and Illness – Cecil G Helman
1 INTRODUCTION: THE SCOPE OF MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
The word anthropology means: the study of man. It a science that focusses on what people do and
why all over the world. It’s a holistic (allesomvattende) view of the world.
There are several braches in anthropology. Some examples are:
- Medical anthropology
Medical anthropology Medical anthropology is the study of human suffering and how people
explain and relieve that suffering.
Medical anthropology is about how different cultures and social groups:
Explain the causes of ill health
Types of treatment they use
Who they turn to when they have a health problem
- Physical anthropology
Physical anthropology is also known as human biology
- Material anthropology
Material anthropology deals with art and artefacts, like weapons, instruments and tools from
past and present.
- Social anthropology
Comparative study of the present-day human societies and their cultural systems that
focuses on the social dimensions of human life. According to this study humans are social
animals and that a person’s experience as a part of society shapes their view on the world.
- Cultural anthropology
Comparative study of the present-day human societies and their cultural systems that
focuses on the systems of symbols, ideas and meanings that form a culture. This study looks
at social organisation of humans as an expression of culture.
When studying a group of people it’s important to study the features of their culture and society.
Society is defined as: a total social system whose members share a common language and cultural
tradition.
The members of a society usually organise themselves into various groups, hierarchies and roles. This
is expressed in the religion, ideology, political and economic system of that society.
CONCEPT OF CULTURE
Culture is a set of guidelines that individuals inherit as members of a particular society. These
guidelines tell them how to view the world, how to experience it emotionally and how to behave in
relation to other people, supernatural forces or gods, and the natural environment.
Growing up in any society is a form of enculturation. Children learn to look at the world through a
cultural ‘lens’.
Culture provides people with a shared view of the world without which it is impossible to maintain
cohesion and continuity in human groups.
Edward t. Hall has divided culture into three levels:
- Tertiary
The tertiary level of culture includes the part of the culture that is explicitly expressed to the
outside world like traditional dress, traditional food and festive occasions (such as kingsday
in the Netherlands)
- Secondary
1 INTRODUCTION: THE SCOPE OF MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
The word anthropology means: the study of man. It a science that focusses on what people do and
why all over the world. It’s a holistic (allesomvattende) view of the world.
There are several braches in anthropology. Some examples are:
- Medical anthropology
Medical anthropology Medical anthropology is the study of human suffering and how people
explain and relieve that suffering.
Medical anthropology is about how different cultures and social groups:
Explain the causes of ill health
Types of treatment they use
Who they turn to when they have a health problem
- Physical anthropology
Physical anthropology is also known as human biology
- Material anthropology
Material anthropology deals with art and artefacts, like weapons, instruments and tools from
past and present.
- Social anthropology
Comparative study of the present-day human societies and their cultural systems that
focuses on the social dimensions of human life. According to this study humans are social
animals and that a person’s experience as a part of society shapes their view on the world.
- Cultural anthropology
Comparative study of the present-day human societies and their cultural systems that
focuses on the systems of symbols, ideas and meanings that form a culture. This study looks
at social organisation of humans as an expression of culture.
When studying a group of people it’s important to study the features of their culture and society.
Society is defined as: a total social system whose members share a common language and cultural
tradition.
The members of a society usually organise themselves into various groups, hierarchies and roles. This
is expressed in the religion, ideology, political and economic system of that society.
CONCEPT OF CULTURE
Culture is a set of guidelines that individuals inherit as members of a particular society. These
guidelines tell them how to view the world, how to experience it emotionally and how to behave in
relation to other people, supernatural forces or gods, and the natural environment.
Growing up in any society is a form of enculturation. Children learn to look at the world through a
cultural ‘lens’.
Culture provides people with a shared view of the world without which it is impossible to maintain
cohesion and continuity in human groups.
Edward t. Hall has divided culture into three levels:
- Tertiary
The tertiary level of culture includes the part of the culture that is explicitly expressed to the
outside world like traditional dress, traditional food and festive occasions (such as kingsday
in the Netherlands)
- Secondary
