Current and comprehensive, Health and Society brings together fourteen original chapters to provide a compelling interdisciplinary introduction to the field of health studies. Exploring the social, cultural, political, and cultural dimensions of health, illness, and health care, this text encourages students to examine how health and health care are socially and culturally constructed; what ideologies, principles, and powers underpin health and healthcare; and the future health challenges we face as a society.

Edited by James Gillett's profile page

Gavin J. Andrews' profile page

Mat Savelli's profile page

James Gillett is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Health, Aging, and Society at McMaster University. A sociologist by training, his current research and teaching interests are in the cultural representations of health and illness and the approaches that people take toward their health and health care. An experienced and accomplished author, he is involved in research projects focused on AIDS activism, health in the media, animals and health, and sport and physical activity.

Gavin J. Andrews is a professor in the Department of Health, Aging, and Society at McMaster University. His wide-ranging research and teaching interests including the dynamics between space/place and aging, holistic medicine, health care education and work, fitness cultures, and popular cultures. Mat Savelli is a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Health, Aging, and Society at McMaster University. He works broadly on the history and sociology of health and medicine. In particular, his work addresses the ways in which concepts of normality and abnormality have been constructed across time and place. Specific areas of interest include health and medicine (especially psychiatry and mental health) in Eastern Europe, the global health movement, and pharmaceuticals.

"The major strength of this text is its commitment to a critical social science perspective. The book also does a wonderful job of explaining precisely what a critical approach to health actually is." --Dr. Suzanne R. Sicchia, University of Toronto, Scarborough

"The book builds a definition of health from its very foundations and looks at it through every applicable lens of society. It gives a good conceptual framework and builds a basic tool kit for students to begin critical health studies. . . . This book gets health." --Dr. Michael Sherar, University of Regina