PMID: 11639423Nov 1, 1994Paper

Regions, networks and fluids: Anaemia and social topology

Social Studies of Science
A Mol, J Law

Abstract

This is a paper about the topological presuppositions that frame the performance of social similarity and difference. It argues that 'the social' does not exist as a single spatial type, but rather performs itself in a recursive and topologically heterogeneous manner. Using material drawn from a study of the way in which tropical doctors handle anaemia, it explores three different social topologies. First, there are 'regions' in which objects are clustered together, and boundaries are drawn round each cluster. Second, there are 'networks' in which distance is a function of relations between elements, and difference a matter of relational variety. These two forms of spatiality are often mobilized in social theory. However, we argue that there are other kinds of social space, and here consider the possible character of a third, that of 'fluid spatiality'. In this, places are neither delineated by boundaries, nor linked through stable relations: instead, entities may be similar and dissimilar at different locations within fuid space. In addition, they may transform themselves without creating difference.

Citations

Jun 1, 1994·Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry·A Mol, M Berg
May 2, 2012·BMC Health Services Research·Amirhossein TakianUNKNOWN National NHS Care Records Service Evaluation Team
Feb 19, 2005·Health & Social Care in the Community·B PolandG Andrews
Apr 29, 2009·Sociology of Health & Illness·Caroline Huyard
Feb 5, 2015·Sociology of Health & Illness·Susan Pickard
Jan 23, 2010·The British Journal of Sociology·Caroline Knowles
Jan 23, 2010·The British Journal of Sociology·John Urry
Jul 16, 2015·The British Journal of Sociology·Hiro Saito
Feb 9, 2011·Social Science & Medicine·John GardnerLindsay Macdonald
Feb 3, 2015·Anthropology & Medicine·Laurent Pordié
Apr 2, 2013·Health & Place·S T C OotesD L Willems
Jul 16, 2014·Social Science & Medicine·Steve Hinchliffe
Nov 2, 2016·Sociology of Health & Illness·Dara IvanovaRoland Bal
Dec 27, 2016·Science, Technology & Human Values·Catherine Heeney
Oct 25, 2011·Transcultural Psychiatry·Bianca Brijnath
Jul 28, 2011·History of the Human Sciences·Chris Hurl
Sep 28, 2017·Social Studies of Science·Brice Laurent
Jan 20, 2018·Sociology of Health & Illness·Allan McDougallLorelei Lingard
Oct 28, 2019·Sociology of Health & Illness·Thorben P Simonsen, Cameron Duff
Mar 1, 2013·Science As Culture·Ann H Kelly, Javier Lezaun
May 18, 2020·Advances in Health Sciences Education : Theory and Practice·Mary OttSayra Cristancho
Aug 8, 2020·Social Studies of Science·Josiane Carine Tantchou
Sep 28, 2017·Social Studies of Science·Jan-Peter Voß, Nina Amelung
Feb 4, 2021·Social Studies of Science·Adam SargentReed Stevens
Aug 10, 2021·Social Studies of Science·Jan-Peter VoßVolkan Sayman

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Anemia

Anemia develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. Anemia of inflammation (AI, also called anemia of chronic disease) is a common, typically normocytic, normochromic anemia that is caused by an underlying inflammatory disease. Here is the latest research on anemia.