Sociological imperialism and the profession of medicine revisited: where are we now?

Abstract

This paper revisits Strong's thesis of`sociological imperialism' some 20 years on in order to assess its relevance to present day developments within and beyond the sociology of health and illness. The thesis, it is suggested, continues to raise a number of key sociological issues of more or less abiding importance, particularly in the light of recent Foucauldian and postmodern critiques of medicine, the body and disease. This in turn paves the way for a further series of critical reflections on the limits of constructionism in particular and the dilemmas of the sociological enterprise in general. Revisiting these issues from time to time, it is concluded, is indeed an instructive exercise: a reminder perhaps, welcome or otherwise, of the limits of our own disciplinary claims on the world and our place within it.

Medical sociology and the biological body: where are we now and where do we go from here?

“…The state of the biological sciences, Benton reminds us, is 'fluid, there are numerous competing conceptualisations within biology, and there are several well-articulated alternatives to reductionist materialism available for use as philosophical means in the attempt to re-think the biology/society relationship ' (1991: 18, emphasis added). This is a call in effect, in the face of various (reductionist) brands or stands of sociologism, for a more 'mature' or 'balanced' form of sociological theorizing which recognizes the limits of our own knowledge (Craib, 1997;Williams, 2001Williams, , 2003b, while simultaneously acknowledging that other disciplines such as biology (or perhaps more correctly certain strands of non-reductionist thinking within it), do indeed have some important things to say about the world and our place within it. The constructionist tendency or temptation to turn other bodies of knowledge into mere 'fabrications' or objects of sociological scrutiny, critique or contempt, is thereby tempered, without abandoning it altogether.…”

Mapping the Sociology of Health and Medicine

“…Additional examples of papers in this category come from Kristin Barker (2008) from the United States, on medicalisation; and Simon Williams (2001) from Britain, on sociological imperialism.…”

Application of participation in clinical practice: Key issues

“…Traditionally, health policy was based on a biomedical model, in which disability was considered as a problem within the person, directly caused by disease, trauma or health conditions (2,3). This biomedical concept of disability has been criticized and has failed in terms of society's current vision on health, illness and disability (4,5).…”