In the past two decades, research on the sociology of diagnosis has attained considerable influence within medical sociology. Analyzing the process and factors that contribute to making a diagnosis amidst uncertainty and contestation, as well as the diagnostic encounter itself, are topics rich...

We examine Gulf War illnesses--which include the fatigue, joint pain, dermatitis, headaches, memory loss, blurred vision, diarrhea, and other symptoms reported by Gulf War veterans--in relation to other medically unexplained physical symptoms such as multiple chemical sensitivity, chronic...

While public health, medical, government, and community actors agree that there is a serious asthma epidemic, there is significant disagreement over the role of outdoor environmental factors in causing or triggering asthma. The outcome of these disputes is important because it substantially...

Grades at U.S. colleges and universities have increased precipitously over the last 50 years, suggesting that the signaling power of grades has become attenuated. Moreover, average grades have risen disproportionately in some departments, implying that weak students in departments with high...