Ithaca College

David's presentation was part of the panel "Understanding holistic healing: case studies of medical pluralism throughout Africa."  at the 116th annual meetings of the American Anthropological Association in Washington, D.C. last week.

 David's paper, "Modernity, Tradition, and Practices of Healing in Mokhotlong, Lesotho, 1990 - 1991," drew on observations from his early research in Lesotho to explore relationships between western doctors and traditional healers. He demonstrated that there are archetypal symbols that can sometimes be drawn on to formulate approaches to health and well being that are recognizable and complimentary in what are often conceptualized as competing systems. Such approaches find value in and help to validate parallel systems rather than situate one as scientifically superior to the other, and can bring practitioners from each into dialogs about complimentary approaches to reactive healing as well as holistic well being.