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Fieldwork in Belgium
Fox is widely known for her interdisciplinary and cross-cultural fieldwork. In 1959, Fox began research in Belgium. She conducted ethnographic research there nearly every summer for forty years. To start she was interested in researching Belgians because Belgians often return to Belgium after attending medical school in the United States. Eventually her focal point became researching Belgium through the lense of their medical system.

In 1978 Fox published “Why Belgium” to explain her area and location of research. In this essay, she describes Belgium as particularistic due to society being divided into groups of social class, religion, political affiliation, language, and region one lives. Fox notes this particularism creates labels that effect Belgian’s education and research opportunities as well as medical access. From a functionalist perspective, Fox views Belgium to be divided into these various groups yet functioning through pluralism due to the wide acceptance of ‘separate but equal.’ Fox also observes Belgians to be energized and united due to their Catholic-equivalent of the Protestant work ethic.

There have been disputes over Belgium’s existence, and Fox writes in “Why Belgium” that she observes distinct culture in Belgium and believes Belgium indeed exists. Her discovery that there is a common culture throughout Belgium has been disputed by Belgians due to Belgium’s particularism.

To more develop a deeper understanding of the Belgian society, Fox travelled to Belgium’s former colony, Zaire, which today is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Central Africa.