23.06.2013 Views

spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

still resists a clear def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>and</strong> a specific framework or discourse. That is why hybridity is<br />

manifested <strong>in</strong> many ways: cultural, political <strong>and</strong> l<strong>in</strong>guistic.<br />

The emphasis <strong>in</strong> this research on health constructs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> African context is on <strong>the</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />

hybridity as <strong>the</strong> process or effect whereby culturally determ<strong>in</strong>ed boundaries dissolve, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

erosion <strong>of</strong> borders <strong>of</strong> specific doma<strong>in</strong>s is a prerequisite <strong>of</strong> form<strong>in</strong>g new, transcultural ideas <strong>and</strong><br />

practices related to health. Anti-essentialism is a core element <strong>of</strong> hybridity as a parameter <strong>of</strong><br />

health as a social construct, which means <strong>the</strong> exclusion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> idea that <strong>the</strong>re should be one true<br />

or valid health model (<strong>and</strong> that o<strong>the</strong>r health models have to be aberrations). Thus, any<br />

underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> health is a construct made up <strong>of</strong> diverse elements, that are selected <strong>and</strong><br />

susta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>and</strong> given mean<strong>in</strong>g by <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividual <strong>and</strong> by <strong>the</strong> social group.<br />

It is important to mention that <strong>the</strong> application <strong>of</strong> this hybrid health strategy is certa<strong>in</strong>ly not<br />

restricted to <strong>the</strong> African cont<strong>in</strong>ent only. Globalization processes have <strong>in</strong>tensified <strong>the</strong> connections<br />

between different parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, <strong>and</strong> one element <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>of</strong> social, political,<br />

cultural <strong>and</strong> economic factors is <strong>the</strong> global <strong>in</strong>term<strong>in</strong>gl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> people’s healthworlds. Influential<br />

health ideas <strong>and</strong> health treatment options from abroad have become available, <strong>and</strong> can even be<br />

‘re-framed’ to fit <strong>in</strong> with any specific local culture (see Helman 2007:305). With regard to <strong>the</strong><br />

ubiquitous mix<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> health ideas <strong>and</strong> practices Cochrane (2006b:9) mentions <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> a<br />

‘<strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape’ 7 <strong>in</strong> order to expla<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> prevalence <strong>of</strong> people’s explorations <strong>of</strong> diverse health<br />

concepts, models, structures, <strong>and</strong> resources that people access when seek<strong>in</strong>g treatment.<br />

1.3.4 Globalization<br />

Current research trends show that <strong>the</strong>re is grow<strong>in</strong>g attention to <strong>the</strong> l<strong>in</strong>k between globalization<br />

<strong>and</strong> health. The consideration <strong>of</strong> this l<strong>in</strong>k is relatively new, <strong>and</strong> has to do ma<strong>in</strong>ly with <strong>the</strong><br />

question <strong>of</strong> whe<strong>the</strong>r globalization has a positive effect on <strong>the</strong> health <strong>of</strong> populations, <strong>in</strong> particular<br />

those <strong>of</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g countries. One aspect <strong>of</strong> current research is <strong>the</strong> desideratum to exp<strong>and</strong><br />

quantitative evidence perta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> relation <strong>of</strong> globalization <strong>and</strong> health (Martens 2010; see<br />

also Lee 2001; Lee & Coll<strong>in</strong> 2001; Woodward 2001; Huynen 2005). Ano<strong>the</strong>r aspect <strong>of</strong> this new<br />

field <strong>of</strong> attention is <strong>the</strong> need to broaden <strong>the</strong> perspective on <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> globalization on health<br />

for all: it is no longer sufficient to categorize globalization processes <strong>in</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ly economic <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutional doma<strong>in</strong>s. A def<strong>in</strong>ition like <strong>the</strong> one <strong>in</strong> Labonte & Torgerson’s research on <strong>the</strong> relation<br />

<strong>of</strong> globalization, health <strong>and</strong> development, exemplifies that <strong>the</strong> l<strong>in</strong>k between globalization <strong>and</strong><br />

7. The phrase is used by <strong>the</strong> Boston Heal<strong>in</strong>g L<strong>and</strong>scapes Project.<br />

www.bmc.org/pediatrics/special/bhlp/html_<strong>in</strong>dex.htm (accessed on 13 June 2009).<br />

33

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!