This encyclopedia entry argues that anthropology should not merely add a “social dimension” after biomedical problems are defined. It should examine how the problem is framed, whose observations count as evidence and how descriptions shape possible interventions. The entry connects ethnography, medical anthropology, political ecology, multispecies approaches, ethnobiology and local knowledge with One Health.
Key findings
- The framework asks how disease, risk, care, surveillance and prevention are understood, negotiated and organised across human, animal, plant, microbial and environmental settings, with attention to field observation, multispecies relations and Indigenous or local knowledge.
Why this matters globally
Outbreak, zoonosis, antimicrobial-use and conservation interventions can fail when they conflict with everyday life. Anthropology can expose unintended effects and support co-design, but it complements rather than replaces epidemiological and laboratory evidence.
Thai researcher contribution
Nicolas Lainé, affiliated with Kasetsart University's Faculty of Environment and a French research unit, is the sole and corresponding author, giving a Thai institution a direct role in framing international One Health practice.
Limitations to consider
This conceptual reference is neither a systematic review nor an evaluation of anthropological methods. Its examples may reflect selected traditions, and broad principles still require translation into roles, timelines, budgets and metrics in operational teams.