Edward Fischer

Edward (Ted) Fischer is Professor of Anthropology and Health Policy at Vanderbilt University, where he also directs the Cultural Contexts of Health and Wellbeing Initiative. His research focusses on issues of political economy, values, health, and wellbeing. He has authored or edited a number of books, including, most recently, 'Making Better Coffee: How Maya Farmers and Third Wave Tastemakers Create Value.'

1 article contributed

Swimming in Denmark: Chemicals, Cultural Norms, and the Politics of Pool Hygiene

Swimming in Denmark: Chemicals, Cultural Norms, and the Politics of Pool Hygiene


A swimming pool is never just water. It’s a heavily managed aquatic ecosystem, held in precarious balance by chemistry, cultural norms, and care. Without treatment, pools explode with algae, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, not to mention insects. Chlorination, the standard treatment worldwide, reshapes that multispecies world: it kills off some life forms while allowing chlorine-resistant […]