TRADITIONAL MIDWIFERY AND HIERARCHICAL EXPLOITATION IN SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how traditional midwifery is either supported, protected, or undermined. Using the Life stories method within Bertaux’s (1993) ethnosociological framework, 51 interviews were conducted to document the trajectories of 25 traditional midwives across four communities in southeastern Mexico. The analysis identified patterns consistent with Tilly’s (1998) theory of durable inequality. Findings reveal the operational dynamics of hierarchical exploitation, whereby institutional practices systematically subordinate and displace traditional midwifery. The study advocates for a critical reevaluation of public policies to ensure they are respectful of, and aligned with, community-based needs.

Keywords: Traditional midwifery, inequality, public policy