Research Projects
My interests include: comparative medical systems and treatment decision making; traditional and alternative healers, health beliefs, and health behaviors; reproductive health; gender, ethnicity, and health; food use, and, public health. Two recent research projects are on Changes to the Medical System in Highland Peru, and Conflict and Change in Tuscaloosa Farmers Markets.
I recently completed two ethnographic films, The Last Bonesetter: An Encounter with Don Felipe (left), and Asi Sobrevivimos (How We Survive), with collaborator and cinematographer extraordinaire, Adam Booher.
Prizes for our photos:
American Anthro Assoc (with Hannah N. Smith)
Society for Medical Anthropology
And listen to our podcast from the Human Biology Association show “The Sausage of Science” re: our recent article in the American Journal of Human Biology!
Research in Chugurpampa, Peru
Findings:
- cultural consensus exists among highlanders on ideas about their medical system
- beliefs relatively unchanged from 25 y/a
- however, few healers remain, despite the demand for them
- there are no significant differences in competence by gender or age
- youth in surprising agreement with elders, though older informants driving the consensus
- dramatic increase in heights and weights of girls and boys <5 yrs over past 10 years
- although, little wasting or stunting overall
- greatest effect seen in the 0 to 2 year old range.
Research in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Findings:
- proposed changes in market structure by the city planners resulted in much confusion and conflict among farmers
- farmers feared losing many amenities, such as ample parking spaces for their trucks and their customers
- as well as losing their cultural identity as farmers and social capital with consumers
- concern that as a grower-only market, competition by retailer–if allowed in–would ruin their sales
- worried new upscale customers may have different tastes
- end result was a fissioning of farmers into two new markets: city-run RiverMarket and Northport Tusc Co. Farmers Assoc
- Unforeseen happy outcome: overall clientele increased and no segments of population–esp. poor–left out
- and, while young adults prefer a modern “experience” market, they also share many values with traditional farmers
