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Dienstag | 17.15 Uhr | Why Parkinson's Disease is not Mentioned in the Classical Ayurvedic Literature: Context and Pretext of Contemporary Ayurvedic Nosology Medical Anthropology Forum - Wintersemester 2021/22 Dr. Ananda Chopra, Habichtswaldklinik Kassel, Ayurveda Department Parkinson’s Disease is a syndrome of fairly recent history. Hence the claim that this disease was mentioned in classical āyurvedic literature is quite remarkable but in line with similar statements by proponents of contemporary Āyurveda. To discuss the substance and context of this claim we will first quickly trace the evolution of Parkinson’s Disease since its first description by the English physician James Parkinson in 1817. In this connection the concept of disease in modern medicine has to be discussed, too, and it will be clear “that the definition of disease-entities within medical scientific explanatory systems, including the current one, forms a contingent cultural achievement” (Karl-Heinz Leven 1998). Thus, from a theoretical perspective it is highly improbable that one will find Parkinson’s disease, as defined within the modern medical system, described in classical āyurvedic literature. A cursory examination of āyurvedic literature shows that this is indeed the case, Parkinson’s Disease in its typical appearance cannot be found as such in classical āyurvedic literature. But then the question arises why such claims are made at all. The discussion of this question leads us into the formation and current status of Āyurveda. We observe that the institutions of contemporary Āyurveda are formed by emulating corresponding structures of modern biomedicine. However, proponents of contemporary Āyurveda are also at pains to prove the validity of their system in a world dominated by modern medicine. In this process they fall back on patterns well known in classical south-asian erudition. According to this worldview ancient knowledge comprised everything there is to know and in current times we cannot but rediscover this ancient wisdom. From this perspective one would think that Parkinson’s Disease must have been mentioned in classical Āyurveda. Some perspectives on āyurvedic therapy of Parkinson’s Disease will conclude the talk. Streaming / Video URL https://zoom.us/j/95968345236?pwd=M0dCMlBMVDJFVnljZWVzMmh0d0tVUT09 Homepage Veranstaltung https://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/ethno/mahassa/index.php?language=de&page=medicalAntWorkGroup Veranstalter Südasien-Institut, Abteilung Ethnologie Homepage Veranstalter https://www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/en/index.php/ Kontakt Alle Termine der Veranstaltung 'Medical Anthropology Forum - Wintersemester 2021/22': The forum as a public event was designed to be a space where senior students and researchers could gather with MAHASSA students and other interested parties to discover and discuss current themes in medical anthropology. Medical Anthropology raises important intellectual and scientific questions about human suffering and wellbeing, and about the human body in its relation to culture and society. This is a “survey course,” meaning that we will survey the most important topics in this field, including illness and suffering, ethnomedicine, ritual healing, the anthropology of the body, mental health and culture, medical pluralism and hegemony, critical medical anthropology, science technology and medicine studies, and others. Dienstag, 23. November 2021, 17.15 Uhr Prof. Dr. Harish Naraindas, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (Indien), School of Social Sciences Dienstag, 07. Dezember 2021, 17.15 Uhr Selling Disease: Professional Patients and Disease Commodification in Medical Markets. Dr. Abdalla Mustafa, Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology Dienstag, 21. Dezember 2021, 17.15 Uhr Why Parkinson's Disease is not Mentioned in the Classical Ayurvedic Literature: Context and Pretext of Contemporary Ayurvedic Nosology Dr. Ananda Chopra, Habichtswaldklinik Kassel, Ayurveda Department Dienstag, 11. Januar 2022, 17.15 Uhr Globalizing Virtual Care: Doing Anthropology in a Transdisciplinary Global Health Consortium Dr. Dominik Mattes, Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthopology Dienstag, 01. Februar 2022, 17.15 Uhr Ambivalence of Healing Encounters: The (A)symmetry Between Healers and Patients Dr. Ehler Voss, University of Siegen, Anthropology Department |