Maraña: War and Disease in the Jungles of Colombia

Maraña by Lina Pinto-García examines the intertwined relationship between war and disease, focusing on Colombia’s armed conflict and the prevalence of cutaneous leishmaniasis. This skin disease, transmitted by female sandflies, primarily affects populations living in forested conflict zones—namely members of the state army and nonstate armed groups. Pinto-García explores how the disease and armed conflict are mutually reinforcing, shaping not only disease transmission but also the production of scientific knowledge, access to treatment, and public health practices.

Key Features

• Focus on Colombian armed conflict and its impact on disease ecology
• Exploration of cutaneous leishmaniasis, including its transmission, clinical features, and social impact
• Concept of “Maraña” to describe the entangled environment of tropical forests and the complex interplay of war and disease
• Analysis of how conflict shapes scientific knowledge and medical practice related to leishmaniasis
• Examination of institutional and biomedical responses, including research, treatment accessibility, and public health interventions
• Interdisciplinary approach, bridging anthropology, epidemiology, history, and medical science
• Critical insights into the socio-political dimensions of disease, highlighting how war, state structures, and medicine are interconnected.

Product Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Chicago Press
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 29 April 2025
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780226839325
• ISBN-13 ‏ :  ‎9780226839332