Module HUSS1191: HEALTH AND SOCIETY I: Illness and Culture

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

HUSS1191: HEALTH AND SOCIETY I: Illness and Culture

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

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.
• 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 its relationship to social anthropology as a whole.
• Insight into one or more alternative health world-views.

• 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.
• 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.

• Ability to evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources (e.g. written, oral, internet).
• An ability to construct reasoned arguments.
• Capacity to conduct a small piece of fieldwork-based research.
• An ability to frame research issues and problems. .

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

• Lectures will deliver the bulk of substantive material.
• The function of classes is to encourage students to articulate points of view firmly grounded in preparation through reading and their own field work.
• Students will undertake a small-scale project produce a research report as part of summative assessment and in preparation a formative assessment comprising the review of a relevant text.
• Students will write an essay on one of the key concepts discussed during the module and in preparation will submit a properly constructed essay plan.
• The module DUO site will serve to ensure that students can find the information about the module they require at any time.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

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

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University