Technology and the Changing Role of Therapy Managers in Africa

Location

CSU 255

Start Date

27-4-2009 8:00 AM

End Date

27-4-2009 10:00 AM

Student's Major

History

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Agnes Odinga

Mentor's Department

History

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

Africans relied exclusively on traditional healing until many embraced western medicine in the nineteenth century. The resulting medical pluralist practices transformed the role of what John M. Janzen, an ethnographer, termed "therapy managers." Therapy managers are a unique part of African medical culture. They form a group that manages the illness and therapy of the sufferer. This duty was typically performed by relatives, or friends and associates, who lived in the vicinity. While scholars have explored the therapy manager's role, they have failed to account for the impact of technology on the composition and role of these individuals. My preliminary oral and secondary research indicate that examining the role of technology in health and healing expands upon Janzen's commonly accepted explanation of therapy managers. An analysis of interviews with Africans in Minnesota will provide an understanding of the complex role and place of Diaspora therapy managers. Therefore, my research will build upon Janzen's conceptual and theoretical framework by examining the role of African therapy managers in the Diaspora. An in-depth study of the use of communication devices such as cell phones and email, and internet reveals that therapy managers are younger, closer kin and global. This is a departure from Janzen's view that they are older, extended relatives, and localized. This research will contribute to the ongoing discussion on globalization, technology, health and healing in Africa.

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Apr 27th, 8:00 AM Apr 27th, 10:00 AM

Technology and the Changing Role of Therapy Managers in Africa

CSU 255

Africans relied exclusively on traditional healing until many embraced western medicine in the nineteenth century. The resulting medical pluralist practices transformed the role of what John M. Janzen, an ethnographer, termed "therapy managers." Therapy managers are a unique part of African medical culture. They form a group that manages the illness and therapy of the sufferer. This duty was typically performed by relatives, or friends and associates, who lived in the vicinity. While scholars have explored the therapy manager's role, they have failed to account for the impact of technology on the composition and role of these individuals. My preliminary oral and secondary research indicate that examining the role of technology in health and healing expands upon Janzen's commonly accepted explanation of therapy managers. An analysis of interviews with Africans in Minnesota will provide an understanding of the complex role and place of Diaspora therapy managers. Therefore, my research will build upon Janzen's conceptual and theoretical framework by examining the role of African therapy managers in the Diaspora. An in-depth study of the use of communication devices such as cell phones and email, and internet reveals that therapy managers are younger, closer kin and global. This is a departure from Janzen's view that they are older, extended relatives, and localized. This research will contribute to the ongoing discussion on globalization, technology, health and healing in Africa.

Recommended Citation

Wright, Christopher. "Technology and the Changing Role of Therapy Managers in Africa." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 27, 2009.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2009/oral-session-03/7