Anth 215 Exam 2 Study Guide

Syndemics

“synergy” + “epidemic” = conceptualizing the intersection of multiple epidemics, both diseases and social problems
Reading→ Mendenhall: Mexican Immigrant Women facing CSA, abusive relationships, and diabetes

VIDDA

violence, immigration-related stress, depression, diabetes, & abuse

Reading→ Mendenhall: Marcia’s life story & current state

3 Rules Implicit to Syndemic Theory

1. clustering of diseases within a position

2. social co-construction (shared conditions)

3. interaction of diseases & social conditions

Stigma

people becoming morally discredited, socially devalued, & disempowered on the basis of diagnosis or other trait

Reading→ Brewis & Wutich: argues against stigma, says it creates additional suffering & shifts from “disgust triggering” to “disgusting people”

A mingua

withdrawal of care

Reading → Scheper-Hughes: NE Brazilian mothers express selective neglect for especially vulnerable babies

Luta

life as a struggle

Reading → Scheper-Hughes: improved material conditions increase maternal ethos

Hierarchy of Suffering

race & role determine a person’s level of suffering

Reading → Holmes: Tanaka farm managers treating Holmes better in the berry picking sector because he is White

Conjugated Oppression

ethnicity & class working together to produce a unique kind of oppression

Reading → Holmes: Tanaka farm migrant workers living in fear & surrendering to abuse due to fears of being deported

The Clinical Gaze

ignores societal factors of sickness

Reading → Holmes: Abelino & Crescensio’s medical issues being chalked up to alcoholism and the availability of worker benefits

Symbolic Violence

internalization of social domination based on one’s race/gender/class positioning

Reading → Holmes: “the migrant body is made to betray itself”

Reading → Keshavjee: poor countries are poor due to nature

Klienman’s Social Theories

1. unintended consequences of purposive action

2. social construction of reality

3. social suffering

4. biopower