SSA could not be possible without the generous support of Drs. Herbert A. and Betty Lou Lubs and the Science, Society, and the Arts Research Conference Endowment. We are deeply grateful!
The result of a five-month comparative research study conducted across four continents: the United States of America, Vietnam, South Africa, and Argentina. The research question served to answer how different healing systems interact within medically pluralistic societies. In each country, interviews, site visits, and guest lectures were used to collect research on the indigenous systems at work in communities, as well as the biomedical presence. Rural and urban aspects were also compared in each country. The project culminates in preliminary conclusions to the sub-questions: How do individuals choose which healing system to use? How does access and affordability affect the choice of healing method? How is the knowledge learned and shared? Research was conducted as a component of the School for International Training: International Honors Program within a research methods class.
