Reframing Public Health as Political Concern:...

Reframing Public Health as Political Concern: Recognition, Redistribution, and Representation in Hong Village

Author Name : Kago Kaku

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56025/IJARESM.2025.1304250015

ABSTRACT Public health and sanitation are often framed as universal public goods, yet their accessibility, governance, and political representation remain unevenly distributed. This study examines how public health is recognized, allocated, and politically represented in Hong Village, Arunachal Pradesh, using Nancy Fraser’s framework of recognition, redistribution, and representation. While state policies acknowledge health as a fundamental right, their implementation often neglects structural inequalities, leaving community healthcare workers and marginalized groups with inadequate resources and limited political influence. Through qualitative methods, including interviews with ASHA workers, focus group discussions, and a structured survey, this study reveals that local governance structures do not prioritize public health concerns, and even elected women leaders rarely advocate for health issues. Findings suggest that public health is often relegated to informal caregiving networks rather than institutional political discourse, limiting its potential as a rights-based claim. The study highlights the need for inclusive governance that ensures health is not just a welfare issue but a matter of democratic representation.