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UConn's medical anthropologists have a longstanding commitment to investigating the sociopolitical and cultural dimensions of health, disease, and healing practices, as well as bodily experiences and life transitions. Their research employs critical medical anthropology frameworks that analyze power structures through historical, economic, and ethical perspectives. Through ethnographic studies, these scholars emphasize collaborative partnerships with communities, challenging conventional assumptions about sickness, treatment, and wellness.
Faculty members conduct international research on diverse subjects such as substance abuse, epidemics, gender-related health issues, environmental health, public health systems, and migration's health impacts. Their work addresses fundamental disparities in healthcare availability, the intersection of economic systems and wellbeing, indigenous health knowledge systems, health as a fundamental right, and connections between wellness, human dignity, and thriving. UConn's medical anthropology scholars prioritize research that confronts systemic oppression and reduces health disparities, focusing particularly on community-driven initiatives developed in collaboration with marginalized populations.
These anthropologists guide both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing critical, community-oriented approaches to health challenges and inequities. For undergraduates, they provide numerous course options for anthropology concentrators, along with a specialized Minor in Anthropology and Global Health. This interdisciplinary program particularly benefits pre-med students and those seeking to integrate scientific, social science, and humanities perspectives through anthropological health theories and methodologies.