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Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation.

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Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation. / Collins, Alan F.; Kendall, Gavin; Michael, Mike.
In: Sociology of Health and Illness, Vol. 20, No. 1, 01.1998, p. 1-28.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Collins, AF, Kendall, G & Michael, M 1998, 'Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation.', Sociology of Health and Illness, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.00078

APA

Collins, A. F., Kendall, G., & Michael, M. (1998). Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation. Sociology of Health and Illness, 20(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.00078

Vancouver

Collins AF, Kendall G, Michael M. Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation. Sociology of Health and Illness. 1998 Jan;20(1):1-28. doi: 10.1111/1467-9566.00078

Author

Collins, Alan F. ; Kendall, Gavin ; Michael, Mike. / Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation. In: Sociology of Health and Illness. 1998 ; Vol. 20, No. 1. pp. 1-28.

Bibtex

@article{83870ec16ab34b5ab7c274a22941dda0,
title = "Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation.",
abstract = "This paper looks at the deployment of a medical technique, reflex anal dilatation and contrasts the way in which its deployment was a subject of enormous controversy in the Cleveland child sexual abuse affair with its comparatively unproblematic previous use to identify homosexuality. We interpret this contrast using two general frameworks: recent work in the sociology of scientific knowledge, particularly actor-network theory, and Foucauldian work on dangerousness and visibility. We argue that the specific historical conditions surrounding the two different deployments allow an understanding of why the deployment of the technique was resisted in one case but not in the other. While Foucault helps us to understand the potential for contestation between the proponents of RAD in Cleveland and actors such as families and politicians, actor-network theory enables us to examine how such conflict actually arose through tracing the sorts of resources that could be mobilised in problematising RAD. In particular, we note that the antagonists of RAD had available a 'practice of rights' towards which they could orient themselves in their contestation of the 'practice of care' that informed the activities of the RAD proponents.",
keywords = "Reflex anal dilatation • Resistance • Foucault • actor-networks",
author = "Collins, {Alan F.} and Gavin Kendall and Mike Michael",
year = "1998",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1111/1467-9566.00078",
language = "English",
volume = "20",
pages = "1--28",
journal = "Sociology of Health and Illness",
issn = "0141-9889",
publisher = "Blackwell Publishing Ltd",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Resisting a diagnostic technique: the case of reflex anal dilatation.

AU - Collins, Alan F.

AU - Kendall, Gavin

AU - Michael, Mike

PY - 1998/1

Y1 - 1998/1

N2 - This paper looks at the deployment of a medical technique, reflex anal dilatation and contrasts the way in which its deployment was a subject of enormous controversy in the Cleveland child sexual abuse affair with its comparatively unproblematic previous use to identify homosexuality. We interpret this contrast using two general frameworks: recent work in the sociology of scientific knowledge, particularly actor-network theory, and Foucauldian work on dangerousness and visibility. We argue that the specific historical conditions surrounding the two different deployments allow an understanding of why the deployment of the technique was resisted in one case but not in the other. While Foucault helps us to understand the potential for contestation between the proponents of RAD in Cleveland and actors such as families and politicians, actor-network theory enables us to examine how such conflict actually arose through tracing the sorts of resources that could be mobilised in problematising RAD. In particular, we note that the antagonists of RAD had available a 'practice of rights' towards which they could orient themselves in their contestation of the 'practice of care' that informed the activities of the RAD proponents.

AB - This paper looks at the deployment of a medical technique, reflex anal dilatation and contrasts the way in which its deployment was a subject of enormous controversy in the Cleveland child sexual abuse affair with its comparatively unproblematic previous use to identify homosexuality. We interpret this contrast using two general frameworks: recent work in the sociology of scientific knowledge, particularly actor-network theory, and Foucauldian work on dangerousness and visibility. We argue that the specific historical conditions surrounding the two different deployments allow an understanding of why the deployment of the technique was resisted in one case but not in the other. While Foucault helps us to understand the potential for contestation between the proponents of RAD in Cleveland and actors such as families and politicians, actor-network theory enables us to examine how such conflict actually arose through tracing the sorts of resources that could be mobilised in problematising RAD. In particular, we note that the antagonists of RAD had available a 'practice of rights' towards which they could orient themselves in their contestation of the 'practice of care' that informed the activities of the RAD proponents.

KW - Reflex anal dilatation • Resistance • Foucault • actor-networks

U2 - 10.1111/1467-9566.00078

DO - 10.1111/1467-9566.00078

M3 - Journal article

VL - 20

SP - 1

EP - 28

JO - Sociology of Health and Illness

JF - Sociology of Health and Illness

SN - 0141-9889

IS - 1

ER -