Dr Suman Joshi
Dr Suman Joshi is a postdoctoral researcher specializing in the socio-economic, ecological, and cultural dimensions of indigenous healing practices in the Kumaun Himalaya.
She holds a PhD in socio-economic history and is trained in anthropology and Cultural history.
Her research interests include traditional medicine, Indigenous Practices, and Cultural Heritage approaches to global history.
Post Doctoral Researcher, ICSSR, New Delhi, India
Session
This paper examines the transimperial flows of traditional healing knowledge across East and South Asia, focusing on connections between the Himalayan region and the Korean Peninsula. Moving beyond Eurocentric models of knowledge transmission, it foregrounds Asian networks of exchange in which medicinal practices, ecological understanding, and spiritual healing circulated through trade routes, pilgrimage, migration, and religious interactions long before and during imperial encounters.
Drawing on historical sources, ethnographic insights, and comparative analysis, the study explores how indigenous healing systems—including herbal medicine, ritual healing, and community-based therapeutic practices—were shaped by local ecologies and cultural worldviews, yet remained open to cross-regional influences. The Himalayas and Korea, often treated as geographically peripheral, emerge here as active knowledge-producing centers that contributed to broader Asian medical traditions.
The paper further argues that imperial and transimperial contexts did not simply suppress indigenous knowledge but also reconfigured pathways of exchange, allowing traditional healers to adapt, preserve, and transmit knowledge across borders. By comparing Himalayan healing traditions with Korean practices—such as village-based medicine and shamanic healing—the study highlights shared ethical principles regarding human–nature relationships, health, and community well-being.
By centring Asian experiences and perspectives, this research contributes to world history and medical anthropology by rethinking global connectivity through indigenous epistemologies. It also offers historically grounded insights relevant to contemporary debates on global health, sustainability, and alternative medical systems, positioning Asian traditional knowledge as a vital resource for addressing present-day ecological and health challenges.
Dr Suman Joshi is a postdoctoral researcher specializing in the socio-economic, ecological, and cultural dimensions of indigenous healing practices in the Kumaun Himalaya.
She holds a PhD in socio-economic history and is trained in anthropology and Cultural history.
Her research interests include traditional Indigenous Practices, and Cultural Heritage approaches to global history.