ABSTRACT
In this section the selected readings analyse various aspects of the way that complementary and alternative medical approaches are used in a wide range of settings. Immediately the focus on place and setting raises questions about the nature of the therapies themselves as well as throwing light on the people who practice these therapies, either as therapists or ‘users’. How much does the setting matter? Are the basic principles of the various therapies transferable across a range of settings? Does a change of setting or context make practitioners, or users, behave differently? ... and what about the exchange of money for the services of a CAM practitioner? Does this help or hinder the therapeutic process? These are some of the issues that the authors of the selected readings have boldly chosen to explore.
