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Book Cover
E-book
Author Dew, Kevin, author.

Title The cult and science of public health : a sociological investigation / Kevin Dew
Published New York : Berghahn Books, 2012
©2012

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Description 1 online resource (179 pages)
Contents Introduction : public health theories and theorizing public health -- Myths, morality and modern public health -- The politics of public health -- Health promotion settings and health hostile environments -- Public health and health professionals -- The political use of public health -- Public health campaigns -- The cult of health and its rituals
Summary "In contemporary manifestations of public health rituals and events, people are being increasingly united around what they hold in common--their material being and humanity. As a cult of humanity, public health provides a moral force in society that replaces 'traditional' religions in times of great diversity or heterogeneity of peoples, activities and desires. This is in contrast to public health's foundation in science, particularly the science of epidemiology. The rigid rules of 'scientific evidence' used to determine the cause of illness and disease can work against the most vulnerable in society by putting sectors of the population, such as underrepresented workers, at a disadvantage. This study focuses on this tension between traditional science and the changing vision articulated within public health (and across many disciplines) that calls for a collective response to uncontrolled capitalism and unremitting globalization, and to the way in which health inequalities and their association with social inequalities provides a political rhetoric that calls for a new redistributive social programme. Drawing on decades of research, the author argues that public health is both a cult and a science of contemporary society."--Publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject Public health -- Social aspects
Medical policy.
Health services accessibility.
Health attitudes.
Social medicine.
Public health.
Social Medicine
Sociology, Medical -- methods
Attitude to Health
Health Policy
Public Health
Health Services Accessibility
public health.
HEALTH & FITNESS -- Diseases -- General.
HEALTH & FITNESS -- Health Care Issues.
MEDICAL -- Diseases.
MEDICAL -- Health Care Delivery.
MEDICAL -- Health Policy.
MEDICAL -- Public Health.
SOCIAL SCIENCE -- Disease & Health Issues.
SOCIAL SCIENCE -- Sociology -- General.
Social medicine
Public health
Health attitudes
Health services accessibility
Medical policy
Public health -- Social aspects
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9780857453402
0857453408
9786613591869
6613591866