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A/Prof Seye Abimbola explores how global health as a concept reinforces colonial power structures and argues for decentering Western institutions in health governance. His critique reveals how aid flows primarily benefit donor countries while creating dependencies that hinder meaningful health system development in recipient nations.

• The term "global health" itself is problematic, describing an industry with colonial roots rather than a truly global approach to health
• Much international aid functions as "tied aid," where donor countries require recipients to purchase overpriced products from them, limiting actual benefits
• 84% of major global health organizations are headquartered in wealthy nations, perpetuating knowledge hierarchies and power imbalances
• Historical colonial medical interventions like brutal sleeping sickness campaigns continue to impact health outcomes and trust in healthcare today
• Prestigious biomedical journals marginalize qualitative research, reinforcing knowledge hierarchies that privilege Global North perspectives
• True decolonization requires addressing not just authorship imbalances but ensuring research questions and methodologies serve local needs
• The withdrawal of USAID funding presents both challenges and opportunities for African nations to reimagine health systems on their own terms

Check out Dr. Abimbola's book "The Foreign Gaze: Essays on Global Health" available open access, which further explores how knowledge practices in global health often serve foreign interests rather than addressing local needs.

We also discussed Kyobutungi C, Okereke E, Abimbola S. After USAID: what now for aid and Africa? BMJ 2025; 388 :r479 doi:10.1136/bmj.r479

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" undisciplinarypod@gmail.com

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Part 2 of our conversation with philosopher Megan Dean. We explore the ethics of hosting and the tensions that arise when accommodating guests with dietary restrictions. We dive into her paper "The Worst Dinner Guest Ever" to understand why people with food allergies and gut issues often face skepticism and judgment when sharing their needs.

• Megan was inspired by a blog post about accommodating guests with multiple dietary restrictions and the heated debate in its comment section
• "Epistemic humility" means acknowledging people as authorities on their own bodies and experiences
• Many food intolerances cause invisible or delayed symptoms, making them easy to dismiss but no less real
• Hosting responsibilities include keeping guests safe and comfortable, which means taking dietary needs seriously
• Cultural contexts create complex ethical situations where being a "good guest" might mean risking discomfort
• "Healthism" flattens the rich experience of eating by assuming health should always be our primary consideration
• The true "worst dinner guest" is the one who judges others' food choices rather than enjoying the shared experience

Megan A. Dean; The “Worst Dinner Guest Ever”: On “Gut Issues” and Epistemic Injustice at the Dinner Table. Gastronomica 1 August 2022; 22 (3): 59–71. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2022.22.3.59

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" undisciplinarypod@gmail.com

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Philosopher Megan Dean joins us to explore the complex ethics of food restrictions, from hospital feeding tubes to revealing how deeply our identity and relationships are intertwined with what and how we eat.

In this episode we discuss

• Case of mushroom attempted mushroom poisoning - Ask Polly: My In-Laws are careless about my deadly food allergy!
• Smuggled Doughnuts and Forbidden Fried Chicken: Addressing Tensions around Family and Food Restrictions in Hospitals by Megan A. Dean, Laura Guidry-Grimes
• The Culinary Mind - Center for the Philosophy of Food

Undisciplinary - a podcast that talks across the boundaries of history, ethics, and the politics of health.
Follow us on Twitter @undisciplinary_ or email questions for "mailbag episodes" undisciplinarypod@gmail.com