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Through examining the case of people with epilepsy (which, as we demonstrate, has an ambiguous status in relation to both popular and academic conceptions of disability) we explore the fluid, negotiable and contingent nature of identity and, in particular, the identification as "disabled". Disability, we argue, cannot be reduced to either biology or social oppression, or even primarily to biological or social factors: it is the outcome of a complex interaction between a multiplicity of factors--biological, environmental, social, psychological, cultural and political--which will interact and be experienced differently by different people, at different times and in different situations. Rather than conceiving of disability in "all or nothing" terms and of differing explanations as competing and mutually exclusive, it would be more productive to see them as partial and potentially complementary contributions to the better understanding of a complex and multifarious reality.

The placement of black children in black foster or adoptive families has now been accepted as legitimate. This policy of 'racial matching' gained acceptance by implementing William Solesbury's three phases: getting the public's attention, asserting an issue's legitimacy, and appealing for action. A few black social workers ran the campaign, which was boosted by the creation of the Association of Black Social Workers and Allied Professions. The concept of 'racial matching' was accepted by most local authorities by the end of the 1980s.

Abstract Background Studies have shown that a significant proportion of people with epilepsy use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM use is known to vary between different ethnic groups and cultural contexts; however, little attention has been devoted to inter-ethnic differences within the UK population. We studied the use of biomedicine, complementary and alternative medicine, and ethnomedicine in a sample of people with epilepsy of South Asian origin living in the north of England. Methods Interviews were conducted with 30 people of South Asian origin and 16 carers drawn from a sampling frame of patients over 18 years old with epilepsy, compiled from epilepsy registers and hospital databases. All interviews were tape-recorded, translated if required and transcribed. A framework approach was adopted to analyse the data. Results All those interviewed were taking conventional anti-epileptic drugs. Most had also sought help from traditional South Asian practitioners, but only two people had tried conventional CAM. Decisions to consult a traditional healer were taken by families rather than by individuals with epilepsy. Those who made the decision to consult a traditional healer were usually older family members and their motivations and perceptions of safety and efficacy often differed from those of the recipients of the treatment. No-one had discussed the use of traditional therapies with their doctor. The patterns observed in the UK mirrored those reported among people with epilepsy in India and Pakistan. Conclusion The health care-seeking behaviour of study participants, although mainly confined within the ethnomedicine sector, shared much in common with that of people who use global CAM. The appeal of traditional therapies lay in their religious and moral legitimacy within the South Asian community, especially to the older generation who were disproportionately influential in the determination of treatment choices. As a second generation made up of people of Pakistani origin born in the UK reach the age when they are the influential decision makers in their families, resort to traditional therapies may decline. People had long experience of navigating plural systems of health care and avoided potential conflict by maintaining strict separation between different sectors. Health care practitioners need to approach these issues with sensitivity and to regard traditional healers as potential allies, rather than competitors or quacks.

Although 'racial matching' of interviewer and subject may often be appropriate, as a political strategy it risks marginalisation of black researchers and, as a methodological approach, its assumption of a single 'truth' is open to challenge. These issues are explored through an examination of public and private accounts and their relationship to race-of-interviewer effects and a discussion of the author's experience of conducting interviews with prospective black foster parents. The final section explores the role of the white researcher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been acknowledged that religious and complementary therapies are commonly used among South Asian communities in the UK. However, little is known about their religious beliefs in relation to epilepsy and the type of South Asian therapies that they use to treat the condition., Aim: To explore the influences of spiritual and religious beliefs on explanation of the cause of epilepsy, and the choice of treatment in people of South Asian origin who have epilepsy., Design of Study: Qualitative study using interviews with patients, carers, health professionals, and focus groups of people from minority ethnic communities., Setting: Bradford and Leeds., Method: Semi-structured individual interviews with 20 Muslims, six Sikhs, and four Hindus with epilepsy; 16 nominated carers (family members, friends); 10 health professionals (specialist GPs, neurologists, specialists nurses, social workers, community GPs); and two focus groups with a total of 16 South Asians without epilepsy., Results: It was found that over half of responders attributed their illness to fate and the will of God, or as punishment for sins of a past life. Some patients had experienced prejudice from people who believed that their epilepsy was contagious. A strong network of traditional healers was found, providing a parallel system of health care in the UK and on the Indian subcontinent. People turned to religiospiritual treatments in desperation for a cure, often under the influence of their families after the perceived failure of Western medicine. Such treatments were viewed as complementary rather than as an alternative to Western medication. Younger people in particular expressed considerable scepticism about the effectiveness of these traditional South Asian treatments., Conclusions: In this study's South Asian sample, patients commonly turned to traditional healers in search of better health. Health professionals should be aware of the belief systems of these patients and understand the types of treatments in common use. Although these treatments might potentially compete with Western health care, they are used as an adjunct rather than a substitute. Patients have a 'healthy' scepticism about the effectiveness of such treatments, and adherence to medical therapy does not appear to be affected.