ABSTRACT
According to the principles of constructivism, the world is structured on the basis of systems of representation or action. Constructivist thought developed as a rejection of naturalism, which adheres to an immutable state of things that are governed by natural order or determinism. Constructivist thought represents a break from epistemologies common in human and social sciences, such as functionalism or structuralism. The chapter retraces the history of constructivist thought, whereby contributions made by those from diverse disciplines are discussed in relation to the global evolution of research in health and medical sciences in general, and more specifically in the field of health geography. It examines the various mobilizations of constructivism in health-geography research–for example, studies on diseases, behaviors, individual and collective issues, health-care systems and their organization. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the repercussions of this research on public action in the health sector.
