Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is not a coherent or unified whole. CAM is, rather, an umbrella term that encompasses a diverse array of healing techniques. There is also diversity among complementary and alternative medicines in terms of the relationships CAM practices have with biomedical institutions. Generally, what unifies forms of CAM is a lack of state-supported legitimacy. This marginality is entwined with the rise of biomedical dominance. However, many CAM practices, while institutionally marginal, are culturally resonant. Although the philosophical underpinnings of forms of CAM vary, many CAM practices emphasize a holistic conceptualization of health and illness. An active role allocated to the client also characterizes much contemporary CAM. While the turn to complementary and alternative medicines is often seen to relate to a sense of dissatisfaction with biomedicine, cultural rather than solely medical factors are also important in the rise of complementary and alternative medicines. Keywords: alternative medicine; sociology of health and illness; therapy