How do we understand health in relation to society? What role do social processes, structures and culture play in shaping our experiences of health and illness? How do we understand medicine and healthcare within a sociological framework?
Drawing on international literature and examples, this new edition of Key Concepts in Medical Sociology:
* Systematically explains the concepts that have preoccupied medical sociology from its inception, and which have shaped the field as it exists today.
* Includes new entries, such as pandemics and epidemics, the environment, intersectionality, pharmaceuticalization, medical tourism and sexuality.
* Begins each entry with a definition of the concept then examines its origins, development, strengths and weaknesses, and concludes with suggested further reading for independent learning.
Key Concepts in Medical Sociology is essential reading for students in medical sociology as well as those undertaking professional training in health-related disciplines.
Industry Reviews
This book has and will continue to be essential introductory reading for students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the social and health sciences and those in professional training who have an interest in the sociology of health and illness. It is comprehensive in its scope addressing a broad range of key sociological concepts which relate to the analysis of health, illness and health policy. This third edition contains accessible, updated entries on many of the concepts addressed in previous editions but also introduces much needed analysis of salient concepts such as on pandemics and epidemics, sexuality, intersectionality, the environment, medical tourism and digital health. -- Professor Michael Calnan This impressive scholarly collection of key ideas in the sociology of health and medicine is essential reading for health and medical students; researchers and policy makers. It is particularly pertinent as we contemplate health and healthcare since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. -- Professor Karen Willis This third edition of the popular and comprehensive concept-based examination of the field of medical sociology is an excellent addition to the literature. It effectively updates the 'state of play' in that sub discipline as well as successfully incorporating new developments including the COVID pandemic, digital health, consumerism, and environmentalism. -- Professor Evan Willis This new edition of a favourite companion offers a veritable bounty of ideas for fostering knowledge about health and illness. Organised as a collection of multiple small chapters, each focusing on a specific concept and relevant subject matter; the editors have resisted the contemporary temptation to focus on culture and agency, offering many explorations of these as well as the material and structural shaping of health and illness. Comprehensive, beautifully written and well organised, the volume invites the reader into the world of health sociology, yet draws from many disciplines to offer sociological perspectives that will be both insightful and indispensable for students and fellow researchers. -- Professor Fran Collyer An academy of British, Canadian, European, and Australian scholars offers a tantalizing taste of traditional and innovative medical sociology ideas that demonstrate the pressing relevance of probing the social trade-offs of health and illness in a globalizing world. From medicalization to stigma, this book is a must-read introduction for those curious about the greatest hits of medical sociology. -- Professor Stefan Timmermans
