Assignment:
Weitz provides an overview of the history of alternative health care in western societies. The contributers of the podcast, The Evolution of Medicine, share the very latest developments in alternative approaches to healing. In this essay, I would like you to explore and examine how these alternative approaches to healing challenge conventional medicine and what social factors challenge these approaches. To do this, please respond to the following questions (giving thorough attention to questions 1 and 2 and ending with a final paragraph in response to question 3):
1. Choose 2 healing modalities from Weitz and 2 healing modalities from the podcast and examine, explore and discuss how these4 approaches to healing challenge conventional medicine.
2. Next, please examine, explore and discuss social factors that challenge these 4 healing modalities. Some social factors that may be important to consider are: power dynamics, gender, economic factors, entrenched ideologies (systems of ideas that guide individual and group choices), other cultural factors (norms, beliefs, values, etc.)
3. In a final paragraph, please reflect on what most surprised or interested you about the reading and/or podcast.
Resources
Podcast: The Evolution of Medicine
The Center for Mind Body Medicine
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Midwives Alliance of North America
American Holistic Nurses Association
American Osteopathic Association
Curanderos: Traditional Healing in Mexico
Acupuncture Today
Christian Science