Good For What Ails You: Study Guide

Study Guide

The Major Questions Addressed in Good for What Ails You

I. The Ethnographic Context:: What is folk medicine or traditional healing?
Using Arthur Kleinman's model, compare your methods of healing with those utilized by Lawrence in the documentary.
How did the traiteur system of healing become a tradition?
How does one become a traiteur?
What defines a traiteur?

II. Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine:

How have medical systems come to be dubbed "alternative"?
How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; Using Arthur Kleinman's model, compare your methods of healing with those utilized by Lawrence in the documentary.
How did the traiteur system of healing become a tradition?
How does one become a traiteur?
What defines a traiteur?

II. Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine:

How have medical systems come to be dubbed "alternative"?
How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; How did the traiteur system of healing become a tradition?
How does one become a traiteur?
What defines a traiteur?

II. Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine:

How have medical systems come to be dubbed "alternative"?
How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; How does one become a traiteur?
What defines a traiteur?

II. Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine:

How have medical systems come to be dubbed "alternative"?
How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; What defines a traiteur?

II. Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine:

How have medical systems come to be dubbed "alternative"?
How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?
II. Biomedicine and Alternative Medicine:: How have medical systems come to be dubbed "alternative"?
How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; How does traditional healing fit within the context of biomedicine and modern America?
Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; Why go to the traiteur?
What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; What sorts of illness do traiteurs and other traditional healers normally treat?

III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:

What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?
III. The Broader Context: Discussions of Shamanism and Witchcraft:: What is the connection between traditional shamans and traiteur?
How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; How may a healer's personal illness experiences affect his/her own healing practice?

IV. Debates over efficacy:

Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?
IV. Debates over efficacy:: Does it work? Why? How does one explain failure?
What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; What is the placebo effect?
What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; What is the value of ritual?

V. Change and Authenticity:

How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?
V. Change and Authenticity:: How does one judge the authenticity of tradition?
What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; What constitutes a superstition?
How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; How does TV affect a traditional healing system?
How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; How does a filmmaker represent the reality of a personality as he/she sees it?

VI. Reflexivity

How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?
VI. Reflexivity: How does television personally affect the healers?
Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; Did the absence of narration after the opening enhance the representation of the subjects?
If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; If you would have preferred narration, what do you think it adds?

VII. What was left out of the film:

Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?
VII. What was left out of the film:: Why are "liberal-minded," cultural relativists so offended by "New Age" therapies?
Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?; Is a "New Age" approach any more or less "authentic" than that of the treaters' practices?

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