Questioning Misfortune
The Pragmatics of Uncertainty in Eastern Uganda

Some of the most interesting ethnographies of experience are concerned to highlight the indeterminate nature of life. Questioning Misfortune is very much within this tradition. Based on a long-term study of adversity and its social causes in Bunyole, eastern Uganda, it considers the way in which people deal with uncertainties of life, such as sickness, suffering, marital problems, failure, and death. Divination may identify causes of misfortune, ranging from ancestors and spirits to sorcerers. Sufferers and their families will then try out a variety of remedial measures, including pharmaceuticals, sorcery antidotes, and sacrifices. But remedies often fail, and doubt and uncertainty persist. Even the commercialisation of biomedicine, and the peril of AIDS can be understood in terms of a pragmatics of uncertainty.

Awards

• Winner of the Amaury Talbot Prize 1997 for books on African Anthropology published during 1997

Reviews & endorsements

'The author's work, which expands over a period of twenty-five years, presents a unique style of anthropology of social experience … The student of anthropology and other readers not familiar with the African culture would find this an excellent piece of work. The illustrations are selected well, and in themselves a great reflection of practical social experience. The text is up-to-date and references abound … All in all, those with an interest in the subject of medical anthropology - especially in the African setting, whether observers, planners or teachers can expect to find much value in this book.' Social Science and Medicine

Customer reviews

Product details

• Date Published: January 1998
• format: Hardback
• isbn: 9780521594028
• length: 274 pages

• dimensions: 236 x 158 x 23 mm
• weight: 0.56kg
• contains: 12 b/w illus. 1 colour illus.
• availability: Available