Old Roads and New Pathways: Reflections, Conclusions and a Way Forward

Abstract

This book began with some key questions about the sociology of health and medicine. We asked for a definition of the speciality field, for information about the individuals and groups working within its boundaries, about possible national differences in sociological knowledge about health and medicine, and whether there might be variations in organisational or institutional practices from one country to the next. The quest for answers has taken us on a journey through the history of the discipline in three countries and included an empirical study of a set of research publications from its practitioners.