Wives and Midwives: Childbirth and Nutrition in Rural Malaysia (Comparative Studies of Health Systems & Medical Care)

In this widely-praised study, Carol Laderman provides a vivid picture of the daily life of rural Malays as she focuses on their dietary practices and the ritual and medical aspects of childbirth procedures. Apprenticed to a village midwife and a local shaman, she was able to observe a traditional culture adapting to modern practices."Carol Laderman's book is not only a contribution to the study of birth customs, it also raises broader questions of the relationship of belief systems and behavior.... We need more studies like this one - detailed, empathic, and thoroughly grounded both in observing behavior an in understanding traditional belief systems." E. N. Anderson, Jr., Medical Anthropology Quarterly"Wives and Midwives offers a good balance between general theoretical argument and rich ethnographic description. For many women readers, the book will strike a personal chord as the fieldworker recalls her experiences in the field situation. ...Ideal for Southeast Asian area courses and medical or nutritional anthropology courses." Penelope Van Esterik, Journal of Asian Studies"Laderman's study of birth and nutrition in a rural Malaysian village is based on a unique combination of ethnographic and nutritional data.... Worth reading by those not only concerned with Southeast Asia but also medical anthropology, nutritional anthropology, and women's studies." Sheila Cosminsky, American Anthropologist