Studies in Alternative Therapy 4 : Lifestyle & Medical Paradigms

The articles in this final volume fall into two main themes, lifestyle and medical paradigms. By using lifestyle as the point of departure for describing the use and users of alternative treatment, research moves beyond the traditional scientific research categories. Alternative treatments foremost function is thus perceived to be the creation of identity. The scientific theoretical concept of paradigm leads the discussion to differentiate between conventional and alternative treatment seen in relation to the basic science or knowledge behind them. How is it possible to characterise an eventual break with tradition? Finally, this volume of Studies presents several documents related to the termination of INRAT; an article concerning the methodological problems connected with the network''s research area, a series of abstracts on methodology submitted by network participants, and the organising committee''s final report on the research project to the Research Council of the Humanities in Denmark.