The cult and science of public health a sociological investigation

In contemporary manifestations of public health rituals and events, people are being increasingly united around what they hold in common-their material being and humanity. As a cult of humanity, public health provides a moral force in society that replaces 'traditional' religions in times...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dew, Kevin
Format: eBook Book
Language:English
Published: New York Berghahn Books 2012
Berghahn Books, Incorporated
Edition:1
Subjects:
Access to health care
Anthropology (General)
Disease & Health Issues
Health attitudes
Health care
Health policy
Health Sciences
Health services
Health services accessibility
JHB
Medical
MEDICAL / Public Health
Medical Anthropology
Medical care
Medical policy
PSXM
Public Health
Public health > Social aspects
Social aspects
SOCIAL SCIENCE
SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General
Sociological analysis
Sociology
Sociology
Medical Anthropology
Anthropology (General)
ISBN:9781782385189, 0857453408, 9780857453396, 9780857453402, 0857453394, 1782385185
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In contemporary manifestations of public health rituals and events, people are being increasingly united around what they hold in common-their material being and humanity. As a cult of humanity, public health provides a moral force in society that replaces 'traditional' religions in times of great diversity or heterogeneity of peoples, activities and desires. This is in contrast to public health's foundation in science, particularly the science of epidemiology. The rigid rules of 'scientific evidence' used to determine the cause of illness and disease can work against the most vulnerable in society by putting sectors of the population, such as underrepresented workers, at a disadvantage. This study focuses on this tension between traditional science and the changing vision articulated within public health (and across many disciplines) that calls for a collective response to uncontrolled capitalism and unremitting globalization, and to the way in which health inequalities and their association with social inequalities provides a political rhetoric that calls for a new redistributive social programme. Drawing on decades of research, the author argues that public health is both a cult and a science of contemporary society.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (p. [147]-169) and index
SourceType-Books-1
ObjectType-Book-1
content type line 7
ISBN:9781782385189
0857453408
9780857453396
9780857453402
0857453394
1782385185
DOI:10.1515/9780857453402