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The re-emergence of grassroots herbalism: an analysis through the blogosphere
Citation
Bitcon, C and Evans, S and Avila, C, The re-emergence of grassroots herbalism: an analysis through the blogosphere, Health Sociology Review, 25, (1) pp. 108-121. ISSN 1446-1242 (2016) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© 2015 Taylor & Francis
DOI: doi:10.1080/14461242.2015.1086956
Abstract
The Complementary and Alternative medicine sector has grown
enormously since 1980. Western Herbal Medicine (WHM), located
within this domain, is a traditional therapeutic system that has
enjoyed this recent public acceptance. Scientific evidence
supporting therapeutic actions of plants employed in WHM has
inspired public confidence. Today the herbal product industry is
big business, employing sophisticated pharmaceutical
manufacturing processes and competitive marketing strategies for
phytomedicines with little resemblance to living plants. The
literature reports a divergence of views among practitioners
seeking to identify central tenets of contemporary WHM and cites
herbalists who are resisting the commodification of herbal
medicine. This study employs qualitative research methods to
examine the blogosphere for evidence of this group using a
combined purposive sampling approach and thematic analysis of
blogs meeting predetermined inclusion criteria. The search
revealed a group of bloggers who voice concerns about the
direction WHM is taking and are ethically responsive to global
environmental pressures. They share the common value that
WHM should remain a healthcare option that empowers and
supports the community and suggest this is best achieved by
maintaining and sharing fundamental skills of plant identification,
simple herbal product manufacturing and incorporating both
science and tradition in their herbal practice.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Western herbal medicine, globalisation, environmenalism. sociology, grassroots, commodification |
| Research Division: | Medical and Health Sciences |
| Research Group: | Complementary and Alternative Medicine |
| Research Field: | Naturopathy |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) |
| Objective Field: | Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Evans, S (Dr Sue Evans) |
| ID Code: | 112593 |
| Year Published: | 2016 (online first 2015) |
| Deposited By: | Pharmacy |
| Deposited On: | 2016-11-17 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-12-12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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