Penny Van Esterik is a Canadian anthropologist who has trained at University of Toronto and received her PhD from University of Illinois. She has taught nutritional and feminist anthropology at York University, Toronto and has a long history of advocacy work on breastfeeding and child health. Her geographical focus is Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Lao PDR.

“The biocultural model developed by Van Esterik and O’Connor is a great contribution to the field.” • Social Anthropology“The book is a much-needed call for support for breastfeeding in developed and less developed countries and has the potential to save lives and reverse infant malnutrition in environments of poverty.” • Ann Millard, Associate Professor, Public Health Studies School of Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center - McAllen

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART I: CHALLENGESChapter 1. Recovering NurtureChapter 2. Studying NurturePART II: CONTEXTSChapter 3. Tracing the Human StoryChapter 4. Entering the Commensal CirclePART III: DIVERSITIESChapter 5. Customizing Nurture in Southeast AsiaChapter 6. Modernizing Nurture: A Global ShiftPART IV: INTERVENTIONSChapter 7. Mastering Nurture: Lessons UnlearnedChapter 8. Negotiating Nurture: Yesterday’s Lesson, Tomorrow’s HopeReferencesIndex