Conversionary Sites: Transforming Medical Aid and Global Christianity from Madagascar to Minnesota

Conversionary Sites explores the role of religion in the globalization of medicine through immersive research of a transnational Christian medical aid program in the American Midwest and Madagascar. It argues that these programs create cultural spaces that negotiate questions of global inequality, transnational religious fellowship, and postcolonial cultural and economic forces.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2018
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Drawing on more than two years of participant observation in the American Midwest and in Madagascar among Lutheran clinicians, volunteer laborers, healers, evangelists, and former missionaries, Conversionary Sites investigates the role of religion in the globalization of medicine. Based on immersive research of a transnational Christian medical aid program, Britt Halvorson tells the story of a thirty-year-old initiative that aimed to professionalize and modernize colonial-era evangelism. Creatively blending perspectives on humanitarianism, global medicine, and the anthropology of Christianity, she argues that the cultural spaces created by these programs operate as multistranded "conversionary sites," where questions of global inequality, transnational religious fellowship, and postcolonial cultural and economic forces are negotiated.

A nuanced critique of the ambivalent relationships among religion, capitalism, and humanitarian aid, Conversionary Sites draws important connections between religion and science, capitalism and charity, and the US and the Global South.

Britt Halvorson's book, Conversionary Sites, delves into the intricate interplay between religion, medicine, and globalization, offering a comprehensive exploration of the role of religion in the modern world. Through extensive fieldwork in the American Midwest and Madagascar, Halvorson has observed firsthand the impact of religious organizations and individuals on the delivery of healthcare and the promotion of well-being.

The book begins by examining the historical roots of Christian medical aid programs, which date back to the late 19th century. Halvorson argues that these programs were initially driven by a desire to bring healthcare to underserved communities and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, over time, these programs have evolved to become more complex and multifaceted, incorporating elements of professionalization, modernization, and globalization.

One of the key themes of Conversionary Sites is the role of religion in shaping the cultural spaces created by these programs. Halvorson argues that these spaces operate as multistranded "conversionary sites," where questions of global inequality, transnational religious fellowship, and postcolonial cultural and economic forces are negotiated. She draws on the work of anthropologists and sociologists to demonstrate how these programs create a unique environment that blends religious beliefs and practices with medical knowledge and technology.

Halvorson also offers a critical critique of the ambivalent relationships between religion, capitalism, and humanitarian aid. She argues that while these programs have the potential to bring about positive change, they are also often influenced by the interests of powerful actors, such as pharmaceutical companies, governments, and international organizations. This can lead to the prioritization of short-term gains over long-term sustainability and the exploitation of vulnerable communities.

Despite these challenges, Conversionary Sites offers a hopeful vision for the future of religious engagement in medicine. Halvorson argues that religious organizations and individuals can play a vital role in promoting global health and well-being by leveraging their unique cultural and social capital. She suggests that these programs can be more effective if they are more inclusive, collaborative, and accountable to the communities they serve.

Overall, Conversionary Sites is a thought-provoking and insightful book that provides a valuable contribution to the field of religion and medicine. It offers a nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between religion, globalization, and healthcare and provides valuable insights into the potential for religious organizations and individuals to promote positive change in the world.

Weight: 596g
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226557120