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Structural violence and the materiality of the social - Reprint of Prof. Farmer's opening lecture

Paul Farmer during his opening lecture

Excerpt

" If the physician's task is to prevent or cure disease, the anthropologist's is to "resocialize" the tragedy of those who suffer needlessly, to reveal what links it to the whole of contemporary society as well as to past events (...) What justifies such an exercise in resocialization ? Is it of any use ? Or does it serve as a smokescreen for the vain efforts of doctors to cope with the immensity of suffering ? (...) I do not hope to reach theoretical heights, but rather simply to elucidate how the concept of structural violence can shed light on anthropology and other disciplines aimed at deciphering contemporary social life. "