The workings of a Danish Medical Anthropologist Lecturer: Mrs. Hanne Katrine Alsbirk( 尤汉娜 ) Medical Anthropologist (MA) Free-lance consultant Interpretress: Ms. Grace Ma( 马晴燕 ) (MA),Sun Yat-sen University

Opening and presentation Why anthropology? Why anthropology? Why applied? Why applied? Academic positioning and practical examples Academic positioning and practical examples

Fieldwork in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia Reproductive health, Reproductive health, women, women, Inforrmants : women of reproductive age, Inforrmants : women of reproductive age, local health providers, local health providers, pharmaceutical professionals, pharmaceutical professionals, local laypersons of Sudra caste local laypersons of Sudra caste

case studies case studies working with professionals supervisor and expert PhD medical anthropologist Mrs. Tine Gammeltoft and local counterpart medical anthropologist Dr. Kumbara, Udayana University Denpasar Bali, Indonesia working with professionals supervisor and expert PhD medical anthropologist Mrs. Tine Gammeltoft and local counterpart medical anthropologist Dr. Kumbara, Udayana University Denpasar Bali, Indonesia

Preparing field work and funding Preparing field work and funding going to the field with a fellow student going to the field with a fellow student finding the relevant location finding the relevant location doing the field study doing the field study

functioning in the field functioning in the field “ being systematic in an intuitive way ” “ being systematic in an intuitive way ” working with informants working with informants having an assistant helps language barriers and isolation having an assistant helps language barriers and isolation developing skills as you go along, returning to the desk, analyzing and ‘ writing up ’ the analysis. developing skills as you go along, returning to the desk, analyzing and ‘ writing up ’ the analysis.

Research focus: Research focus: How does the traditional Balinese Caste system influence modern women ’ s reproductive health practice? How does the traditional Balinese Caste system influence modern women ’ s reproductive health practice? Litt.: “ Fertility Regulation as SocioCultural Challenge ” (Danish version) Litt.: “ Fertility Regulation as SocioCultural Challenge ” (Danish version)

Going to the field

Examining field sites

Anthropologist

Local counterpart

Local conterpart

Informant

Assistant

Bureaucracy

School Health Consultant in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam for PATH Definitions Definitions Practitioner roles in anthropology Practitioner roles in anthropology What roles are there? What roles are there? 1. Traditional academic roles of anthropologists = teaching + research in college or university 1. Traditional academic roles of anthropologists = teaching + research in college or university most frequent most frequent

2. Applied roles = practitioner roles, mostly in organizations and groups, public and non profit 2. Applied roles = practitioner roles, mostly in organizations and groups, public and non profit policy researcher policy researcher evaluator evaluator impact assessor impact assessor needs assessor needs assessor planner planner research analyst research analyst advocate advocate trainer trainer culture broker culture broker expert witness expert witness public participation specialist public participation specialist administrator/manager administrator/manager change agent change agent therapist therapist

3. Free-lance role (commercial and private sector work) 3. Free-lance role (commercial and private sector work) Typical applied anthropology jobs consist of many roles Typical applied anthropology jobs consist of many roles “ anthropologist ” is not commonly used as a job title “ anthropologist ” is not commonly used as a job title Content area for applied work Content area for applied work EXAMPLES EXAMPLES

DEFINITION OF APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY: DEFINITION OF APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY: WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? defining the content is difficult, defining the content is difficult, Simply say that “ applied anthropology is anthropology put to use ” Simply say that “ applied anthropology is anthropology put to use ” The generalized and fuzzy quality of that definition is appropriate to the changing job market. The generalized and fuzzy quality of that definition is appropriate to the changing job market. Thinking more precisely is however useful … Thinking more precisely is however useful … At a general level one can think of anthropology as having two aspects, one is concerned with solution of theoretical problems, another with solving practical problems … At a general level one can think of anthropology as having two aspects, one is concerned with solution of theoretical problems, another with solving practical problems …

examples from Copenhagen university : current research examples from Copenhagen university : current research In VN I worked as a school health consultant solving and changing and proposing … In VN I worked as a school health consultant solving and changing and proposing … both terms encompass a lot of diversity! both terms encompass a lot of diversity! As will be shown later, basic or theoretical anthropology often builds on practical work which serves as the basis of important theoretical developments As will be shown later, basic or theoretical anthropology often builds on practical work which serves as the basis of important theoretical developments it is a useful distinction it is a useful distinction

Defining the field: Defining the field: look at the anthropological practice look at the anthropological practice consider activities typical labeled applied anthrop consider activities typical labeled applied anthrop “Applied anthropology is a complex of related, research- based, instrumental methods, that produce change or stability in specific cultural systems through provision of data, initiation of direct action, and/or the formation of policy. This process can take many forms, varying in terms of problem, role of the anthropologist, motivating values, and the extent of action involvement” (quote, Willingen 1993) “Applied anthropology is a complex of related, research- based, instrumental methods, that produce change or stability in specific cultural systems through provision of data, initiation of direct action, and/or the formation of policy. This process can take many forms, varying in terms of problem, role of the anthropologist, motivating values, and the extent of action involvement” (quote, Willingen 1993) = broad range of products: = broad range of products: 1) Information (most important!) 1) Information (most important!) 2) Policy (constructed on the info generated) 2) Policy (constructed on the info generated) 3) Action (motivated by the generated information) 3) Action (motivated by the generated information) Most typical product: INFORMATION Most typical product: INFORMATION

Ethics = standards of performance and behavior Ethics = standards of performance and behavior “ The essential core of the professional ethics of applied anthropology is the nature of the potential and manifested impact on the people involved ” (quoted from Willingen 1993, p.41) “ The essential core of the professional ethics of applied anthropology is the nature of the potential and manifested impact on the people involved ” (quoted from Willingen 1993, p.41) the anthropologist vs. other information seekers (priests, lawyers, physicians, journalist, detectives, etc.) the anthropologist vs. other information seekers (priests, lawyers, physicians, journalist, detectives, etc.) Anthropologist: asks informants for help and give confidentiality in turn Anthropologist: asks informants for help and give confidentiality in turn EXAMPLES EXAMPLES

Finding work in Vietnam Finding work in Vietnam working for international NGO re child and women ’ s health problems working for international NGO re child and women ’ s health problems how to deal with language barriers how to deal with language barriers teaching others about anthropological methods and developing patience in reality: test, test and test again … teaching others about anthropological methods and developing patience in reality: test, test and test again …

Funding for IEC materials Funding for IEC materials networking globally networking globally meeting the ethnic people of Thanh Hoa, meeting the ethnic people of Thanh Hoa, working with the Black H ’ mong lay persons working with the Black H ’ mong lay persons

reading/writing English texts – with Danish eyes and mind reading/writing English texts – with Danish eyes and mind new projects follow old projects, avoiding overcrowding and new projects follow old projects, avoiding overcrowding and overlapping in the field. overlapping in the field.

Working in multi-disciplinary settings. Working in multi-disciplinary settings. Time factors in project cycles. Time factors in project cycles.

Research questions: Research questions: What factors influence health decisions? What factors influence health decisions? Will local people invest in new health remedies? Will local people invest in new health remedies?

Local people’s custom

Working in a team

Vietnamese

Vietnamese

Young informants

School uniform

Discussion in plenum Discussion in plenum

Thank you for attendence Thank you for attendence