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!

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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