About the author
Murphy Halliburton is an anthropologist known for his ethnographic research on mental health and healing in South India. His book "Mudpacks and Prozac: Experiencing Ayurvedic, Biomedical, and Religious Healing," published by Routledge, examines how people in Kerala navigate a range of treatment options for psychological distress, moving between Ayurvedic mud-pack therapies, Western psychiatric medication, and religious healing practices. Rather than advocating for any one system, the book is built on fieldwork and patient narratives, asking how people choose among therapies and what they understand each to offer. Halliburton's approach is that of a medical anthropologist rather than a practitioner, treating Ayurveda, biomedicine, and religious healing as parallel cultural systems worth comparing on their own terms. The book is suited to readers interested in medical anthropology, South Asian religion and healing, and comparative approaches to mental health care rather than in a how-to guide to any single practice.
📖 Where to start with Murphy Halliburton
💬 What our editors say about Murphy Halliburton's books
“Halliburton offers a compelling, albeit dense, ethnographic account of Kerala’s medical marketplace. While the intimate case studies provide valuable insight into the clash between Ayurvedic mud therapies and Western…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Mudpacks and Prozac: Experiencing Ayurvedic, Biomedical, and Religious Healing
“Halliburton delivers a rigorous ethnographic dissection of Kerala’s healing landscape, successfully juxtaposing Ayurveda, biomedical psychiatry, and religious traditions. The work is essential for academics and practitioners…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Mudpacks and Prozac: Experiencing Ayurvedic, Biomedical, and Religious Healing
