La sociedad y la cultura andina contemporánea: Estudio de los saberes para la salud y la enfermedad en los pueblos originarios del norte de Chile

Abstract

The study of the knowledge of health and disease and of medical practices among the people of indigenous origin raises theoretical, social and political challenges. From the analysis point of view, their cultural heterogeneity makes it necessary to consider the modernization process. Said process involves taking a historical perspective that is not always taken into account in research on contemporary Andean society and culture. This paper seeks to move in this direction. We propose that the weight of schooling is gravitating towards social and cultural differentiation and therefore affects the level achieved in understanding the nature of the body and how it works, as well as health practices. The data gathered largely coincides with that reported by other researchers. Based on this, we propose that it is necessary to extend the debate on the issue of materiality-immateriality of the theoretical foundations of Andean medical thought.