Introduction
A Brief Overview of the Romanian Healthcare System

Summary/Abstract: Exploring local accounts of a century-old rural hospital, the present article brings together Pierrebourdieu’s theory of symbolic goods, Pierre Nora’s views on places of memory, and Mary Douglas’sinsights into how the institutions think, in order to reflect upon a recent field research project ina township of transylvania, Romania. Michel Foucault’s view on discipline is the starting pointin the argument and the basis for weaving together the other three perspectives. the article considersthe impact of changing political regimes, changing economics, and changing lifestyles. iinterpret the biomedical services in the given field situation as symbolic goods, paralleling bourdieu’svision on cultural goods, in the idea that biomedicine was constructed as a cultural good. the wholesymbolism goes variably from individual to collective levels, highlighting nostalgia, self-esteem andlocal power.

• Details
• Contents