Homeopathy within Russian Healthcare: The Challenges of Professionalization

Abstract

This article discusses the results of research into the professional status and professionalization of homeopathy in Russia. The theoretical framework is based on interactions between concepts such as social closure, autonomy and professionalization. This framework helps analyse some of the parameters of status among professional homeopaths, namely the economic, powerrelated and socio-cultural aspects. This analysis is based on qualitative and quantitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews with homeopaths (N=22) and a survey conducted by the author at the Annual Moscow Conference of Homeopathy (N=149), as well as information gained in the course of the secondary data analysis. The survey was used, in part, to clarify and add to the questions that had arisen in the interviews. In order to define the level of individual autonomy among homeopaths we developed quantitative indicators. The data demonstrates that the economic status of Russian homeopathy specialists is relatively low, that professional associations play a limited role in the self-regulation of the group, and that the mechanisms of social closure are weak. All this hinders the professionalization of homeopaths. Nonetheless, homeopaths find a sufficiently high level of individual autonomy as homeopathic practice is not strictly standardised. Today homeopaths as a group face the choice between two professionalization strategies. One is the standardisation of homeopathy, which, although permitting better integration within conventional medicine, threatens ordinary homeopathy practices with a loss of autonomy. The other professionalization strategy rejects standardisation and integration, instead focusing on the preservation of the unique identity and autonomy of the practice. The choice of strategies is a dilemma for homeopaths as each option possesses its own advantages and restrictions.