Whose Global, Which Health? Unsettling Collaboration with Careful Equivocation.

Area of Science:

• Anthropology
• Global Health
• Sociology of Science

Background:

• Multidisciplinary collaboration in global health presents challenges for anthropologists regarding shared terminology.
• The study addresses the ethnographic problem of differing interpretations of terms between collaborating disciplines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore challenges of equivocation in multidisciplinary research, specifically in maternal/child nutrition projects in Guatemala.
• To advocate for 'careful equivocation' as a research technique to navigate disciplinary differences.

Main Methods:

• Drawing on over a decade of ethnographic fieldwork and 'awkward collaboration' with scientists in highland Guatemala.
• Analyzing interactions between anthropologists, epidemiologists, and translators within global health projects.
• Examining instances where methods, interests, and goals converge and diverge.

Main Results:

• Identified situations where shared terms carry different meanings and applications across disciplines.
• Demonstrated how 'careful equivocation' can address disciplinary misunderstandings without enforcing sameness.
• Highlighted the role of translators and diverse project structures in shaping collaborative dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Careful equivocation is a valuable technique for productive collaboration in global health research.
• This approach can help reshape the imperative for interdisciplinary work by acknowledging and managing terminological differences.
• The findings offer insights for improving collaborative practices in international health initiatives.