Module HUSS1111: HEALTH AND SOCIETY

Department: Anthropology (Human Sciences) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

HUSS1111: HEALTH AND SOCIETY

Tied To

• B991: Health and Human Sciences
• C1L6: Human Sciences
• L600: Human Sciences

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To introduce students to the concepts, approaches and methods of medical anthropology.
• to cover in particular the contribution of social anthropology to the cross-cultural study of health, illness and healing.
• to give an insight into how social, cultural and biological factors interact in the field of health and disease.
• to show the potential for medical anthropology to contribute to health policy and planning in our own and other societies.

Content

• What is health? Lay perspectives on health and well-being.
• the biology of health and fitness.
• cross-cultural perspectives on health.
• health and disability.
• inequalities in health.
• health education/promotion.
• community health.
• health at the global level.
• Disease, illness and sickness.
• illness as narrative.
• health systems.
• cultural perspectives on physical and mental illness.
• biomedicine as a cultural system.
• the role of medicine in the demographic transition.
• medical pluralism.
• healing rituals.
• complementary medicine.
• health and gender.
• the medicalisation of society.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of the main concepts, approaches and methods used by anthropologists in cross-cultural study of health and ill-health.
• Understand the scope of medical anthropology and it's relationship to social anthropology as a whole.
• Gain insight into an alternative health world-view.

• Apply some key concepts and methods of medical anthropology.
• Read and understand medical anthropological texts which address theoretical issues.
• Have the opportunity to undertake an individual research project which involves interviewing, recording and data-analysis on a "health perceptions theme".
• Develop cross-cultural empathy and understanding in relation to notions of health and illness in different societies.

• This 1st part of the module offers key skill opportunities in the following areas:
• Teamwork: There are several short group work based learning activities in which students have the opportunity to develop team-working and presentation skills.
• Research: Students have their first opportunity on the course to undertake an individual research project which involves interviewing, recording and data-analysis on a "health perceptions theme".
• Cross-cultural empathy: Students are introduced to some radically different understandings of health in non-Western societies.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Project
• Essay.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Medical ethnography book review 1000 words, Essay plan 500 words.