- a major revision that eliminates many older readings in favor of more fresh, relevant selections;
- a new section on structural violence that looks at the impact of poverty and other forms of social marginalization on health;
- an updated and expanded section on "Conceptual Tools," including new research and ideas that are currently driving the field of medical anthropology forward (such as epigenetics and syndemics);
- new chapters on climate change, Ebola, PTSD among Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, eating disorders, and autism, among others;
- recent articles from Margaret Mead Award winners Sera Young, Seth Holmes, and Erin Finley, along with new articles by such established medical anthropologists as Paul Farmer and Merrill Singer.