Contemporary Ethnography seminar series Academic Hour presents:

 “Multispecies medicine: the treatment of animal ailments in Mongolia”
- by Natasha Fiijn (Australian National University)

Abstract:

A ‘One Medicine’ approach, incorporating human medical care with veterinary care, is increasingly recognised as a strategic approach in the treatment of zoonoses. Zoonoses are diseases that are capable of crossing the species barrier and are increasingly recognised as a significant problem in the age of the Anthropocene. In the Khangai Mountains of Mongolia, herders treat both their human and ungulate extended family with traditional remedies, using a multispecies approach to medicinal treatment. This knowledge has been passed down from one generation of herder to another over the millennia. A fundamental part of living in a multispecies community is the prevention of illness, dealing with the vulnerabilities of life and death on a daily basis. During autumn women collect medicinal herbs from the surrounding mountainsides and dry them to use throughout the year. Multispecies ethnography from interspecies communities can provide a valuable insight into different relational ontologies and perceptions toward other beings.

After the lecture, the will be drinks and a chance to chat with the presenter.  All are welcome.