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Ethnographies of global health governance and diplomacy : A practical guide

Irwin, Rachel LU orcid (2025) In Annals of Anthropological Practice
Abstract
n the past two decades, medical anthropology has increasingly turned its attention to the global, including ethnographic fieldwork at global health mega-events and the processes behind global health initiatives. Similar developments have taken place in political and legal anthropology, with researchers looking at United Nations organizations, transnational epistemic communities, and other global sites of policy-making. Ethnographic methods have also become popular in International Relations, particularly in research on diplomatic practices. Despite the need for and interest in ethnographic research on global health diplomacy, governance, and politics, there are practical and ethical challenges to doing fieldwork in “global” spaces. In this... (More)
n the past two decades, medical anthropology has increasingly turned its attention to the global, including ethnographic fieldwork at global health mega-events and the processes behind global health initiatives. Similar developments have taken place in political and legal anthropology, with researchers looking at United Nations organizations, transnational epistemic communities, and other global sites of policy-making. Ethnographic methods have also become popular in International Relations, particularly in research on diplomatic practices. Despite the need for and interest in ethnographic research on global health diplomacy, governance, and politics, there are practical and ethical challenges to doing fieldwork in “global” spaces. In this essay, I discuss defining and accessing the field, everyday life in the field, and ethical challenges. I draw upon examples from over a decade of fieldwork at and around the World Health Organization (WHO). I also discuss how other ethnographers have approached global health diplomacy, governance, and politics. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
diplomacy, ethnography, global health, politics
in
Annals of Anthropological Practice
article number
e70014
pages
14 pages
ISSN
2153-9588
DOI
10.1111/napa.70014
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ecb6eea7-6131-48cc-bd71-82f46b82b92a
date added to LUP
2024-11-04 16:36:18
date last changed
2025-04-30 14:24:35
@article{ecb6eea7-6131-48cc-bd71-82f46b82b92a,
  abstract     = {{n the past two decades, medical anthropology has increasingly turned its attention to the global, including ethnographic fieldwork at global health mega-events and the processes behind global health initiatives. Similar developments have taken place in political and legal anthropology, with researchers looking at United Nations organizations, transnational epistemic communities, and other global sites of policy-making. Ethnographic methods have also become popular in International Relations, particularly in research on diplomatic practices. Despite the need for and interest in ethnographic research on global health diplomacy, governance, and politics, there are practical and ethical challenges to doing fieldwork in “global” spaces. In this essay, I discuss defining and accessing the field, everyday life in the field, and ethical challenges.  I draw upon examples from over a decade of fieldwork at and around the World Health Organization (WHO). I also discuss how other ethnographers have approached global health diplomacy, governance, and politics.}},
  author       = {{Irwin, Rachel}},
  issn         = {{2153-9588}},
  keywords     = {{diplomacy; ethnography; global health; politics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  series       = {{Annals of Anthropological Practice}},
  title        = {{Ethnographies of global health governance and diplomacy : A practical guide}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/napa.70014}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/napa.70014}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}