I found Dixon’s approach to this topic interesting that she connects the individual phenomenon with the larger, broader view of the global healthcare system. It seems to me that this is a hard topic to deal with if putting it in the global context because so many different factors play a role, such as culture, policy, and so on. She also makes the connection between midwifery and gender inequality which I think contributes to the idea of gaining a “holistic view.” In her discussion of “maternal conditioning” in Chapter 3, I see the indispensable connection between healthcare and the state, which drives me to think about the relationship between anthropology and politics. Part of the reason I chose anthropology instead of sociology is that I wish to avoid as much as political factors as possible. However, through Dixon’s research, I see the unavoidable factor of politics. I started to realize that people work in groups, thus forming the society. The society is subjected to authority, making political influence crucial and important in research. Looking back to my research project, which explores the difference between Chinese male and female millennials’ view on marriage, I wonder if policy and social events contributes to the formation of their view. Despite all those thoughts, I also want to ask: Can policies influence culture? Or is culture influencing policies?
Also, as anthropologists, how can we contribute to making a change in policy making?