ABSTRACT
As we indicated in the Introduction to this volume, much of the social science literature on blood donation has focused primarily on identifying individual-level factors that may explain why some individuals readily donate blood while others are reluctant or unwilling to do so. Numerous studies have sought to understand the psychological triggers of blood donation, and this research is a staple in the marketing departments of many blood agencies (Grant 2010; Masser et al. 2008; Starr 2000). Studies of the technical issues of risk, safety, and efficiency of blood systems, as well as mostly descriptive analyses of blood system policies, are also quite prevalent in the literature. The combined predominance of this type of research has seemingly resulted in a diminished appreciation of the impact of social context on blood donation and of the influence of varied cultural norms on donor behaviour. It has also decontextualized blood donation from the historical and political dynamics that have shaped its emergence as an important aspect of healthcare.
