Radical Health: Unwellness, Care, and Latinx Expressive Culture

In Radical Health, Julie Avril Minich explores how Latinx expressive culture can intervene in contemporary health politics by challenging the notion that poor health is due to individual behavior and advocating for a communal responsibility for health. She highlights the work of Latinx artists as a modality that challenges stigma and protests social conditions that contribute to racial health disparities, emphasizing the critical role of Latinx artists in addressing structural racism in public health.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2023
Publisher: Duke University Press

In her groundbreaking work, Radical Health, Julie Avril Minich delves into the immense potential of Latinx expressive culture to intervene in contemporary health politics. Through a comprehensive exploration, Minich elucidates how Latinx artists have critically challenged prevailing ideologies of health that perpetuate the notion that well-being is solely tied to individual behavior. Within this framework, poor health, including obesity, asthma, diabetes, STIs, addiction, and high-risk pregnancies, is often attributed to irresponsible lifestyle choices among the racialized poor. In response, Latinx writers and visual artists envision health as a collective responsibility rather than an individual duty. By adopting a disability justice approach, Minich uncovers a concept of radical health within the rich tapestry of Latinx artistic expressions. This concept encompasses the poetry of Rafael Campo, the music of Hurray for the Riff Raff, the fiction of Angie Cruz, and the performance art of Virginia Grise. Radical health operates as a transformative modality that not only challenges the stigma associated with unhealth but also actively protests the social conditions that perpetuate racial health disparities.

In further elaborating on this modality, Minich asserts a critical role for Latinx artists in addressing the structural racism prevalent in public health. By leveraging their unique perspectives and artistic mediums, Latinx artists can catalyze meaningful change and challenge the dominant narratives that perpetuate health inequalities. Through their work, they can amplify the voices of marginalized communities, advocate for policy reforms, and promote a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.

Radical Health serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of art and culture in shaping public discourse and driving social change. By exploring the intersection of health, race, and identity, Minich offers a valuable perspective on the ongoing struggle for health equity and justice. Through her meticulous research and compelling storytelling, she inspires us to reimagine the role of Latinx artists in shaping a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478025252