Key research themes
1. How can medical anthropology enhance culturally responsive and equitable mental health interventions in diverse global contexts?
This research theme explores the integration of medical anthropological frameworks to address cultural beliefs, social determinants, and healthcare practices that shape mental health outcomes. It emphasizes understanding stigma, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration as essential components for developing culturally competent mental health interventions that are adaptable across varied societal contexts.
2. What methodological and epistemological contributions does anthropology offer to public health research and policy, especially regarding complex health systems and health equity?
This theme investigates how anthropological methods—critical ethnography, realist enquiry, and integrative qualitative approaches—expand understanding of health beyond biomedical models by incorporating social, political, and economic contexts. It addresses challenges in evidence-based global health paradigms and advocates for interdisciplinary frameworks that incorporate local meanings, power relations, and contextual mechanisms crucial for effective health policy and program evaluation.
3. How do social determinants, stigma, and systemic inequalities intersect with infectious diseases and public health interventions to affect health outcomes?
This research area focuses on the interplay among social stigma, economic and political inequalities, and the biological realities of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and COVID-19. It examines how neoliberal policies, cultural contempt, marginalized identities, and intersecting vulnerabilities structurally influence disease incidence, access to care, and health system functioning. Anthropological inquiry unveils critical socio-political dynamics that traditional biomedical frameworks may overlook, informing more just and effective public health strategies.