The dilemma posed by minority medical traditions in pluralistic societies

The case of China and Canada

Bibliographic Data

ID2145828
AuthorsDavid Young (0000-0002-4693-0663), David H Young (University of Alberta), David F Young (0000-0001-9757-7006), Grant Ingram (0000-0001-7713-8735, University at Buffalo, State University of New York), Ming Liu (0000-0003-3177-4001), Liu Ming (0000-0002-3815-4705), Constance Macintosh
Year1995
Volume18
Issue3
Pages494-514
Publication date1995-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthnic and Racial Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0141-9870 • E-ISSN: 1466-4356
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01419870.1995.9993876
OpenAlexW2023065757
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited11

Pluralistic societies such as China and Canada frequently find themselves pursuing potentially contradictory goals. China's contradiction results from a desire to preserve cultural diversity while eliminating 'backward tendencies' which work against the economic and social development of the country as a whole. Canada's contradiction results from a desire to preserve cultural diversity while maintaining an emphasis upon equality of rights and responsibilities for all Canadians. Behind these differences in ideology, however, is a more basic structural contradiction - namely, that cultural pluralism, while considered an asset as long as it is restricted to preserving unique cultural traditions, is nevertheless a threat to a strong central government if interpreted to imply the power to set policy at the local level. To explore this issue, this article compares China and Canada in terms of three related topics. First, it briefly examines the multicultural policy of China and Canada. This is followed by a discussion of medical pluralism in China and Canada, with an emphasis upon the health of minority groups and the status of minority healing traditions. Finally, common perceptions of shamanic healing traditions in both China and Canada are considered. It is in relation to shamanism that the dilemma posed by cultural pluralism is most clearly delimited. Keywords: Cultural pluralismmedical pluralismhealth careshamanismChinaCanada

China · Contradiction · Dilemma · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Ideology · Multiculturalism · Pluralism (philosophy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · China's Ethnic Minorities and Relations · Chinese history and philosophy · Law · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies

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