Module ANTH4158: Theory in Medical Anthropology

Department: Anthropology

ANTH4158: Theory in Medical Anthropology

Prerequisites

• ANTH 2101 - Critical and Applied Medical Anthropology OR ANTH 2041 - Kinship OR ANTH 2051 - Political and Economic Organization OR ANTH 2091 - Cultures and Classifications 2015-16 ONLY - ANTH 2041 Kinship & Belief Systems OR ANTH 2051 Political and Economic Organization or HUSS 2351 - Critical & Applied Medical Anthropology or HUSS 2191 Cultures & Classifications

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• Cannot be taken with ANTH 4148 - Ethnography and Theory in Social Anthropology

Aims

• To explore some of the recent developments in the theory of socio-cultural and medical anthropology.
• To enable students to assay critically current theoretical debates in socio-cultural and medical anthropology and to engage with them in their research.
• To enable students to understand how anthropological fieldwork is influenced by the researcher's theoretical orientation.
• To examine key theoretical positions and debates in historical and contemporary medical anthropology in relation to health, illness and healing.
• To enable students to develop the analytical skills to recognise and critique different theories, and apply them within their own professional practice.

Content

• Selected current issues in the theory of socio-cultural and medical anthropology.
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of key concepts and theoretical debates in medical anthropology. More recent theoretical debates have taken into account rapid social changes (such as biotechnology, globalisation, urbanisation, medical tourism and commodification of health, tissues and body parts) that have posed new challenges to medical anthropology, particularly around ideas of the body, personhood and social relatedness. Ethnographic examples highlight the continuities and conflicts between local and global contexts of health care, and the interface of traditional beliefs with biotechnology/medicine. In line with Nancy Scheper-Hughes definition of ‘critically applied medical anthropology’, this module does not separate anthropological theory from practice, but promotes theoretical frameworks as central devices to critiquing and informing the processes involved in the experience and management of health and illness. • Key theoretical topics may include: • Foucault, technologies of power and governmentality in non-Western contexts; Bourdieu, habitus, social class and ‘lifestyle’ diseases; Embodiment and bodily practices; Social relatedness and kinship in genomics, new reproductive technologies and illness experiences; Critical medical anthropology and political economy approaches to health and illness; The politics of social suffering and structural violence; The anthropology of space, place and health; Interrelations between migration and health; Transcultural psychiatry and neuropharmacology.

Learning Outcomes

• In-depth knowledge of selected current issues in the theory of socio-cultural and medical anthropology.
• In depth knowledge of the history of symbolic, interpretive, phenomenological and critical perspectives and how these approaches have been employed in a range of cultural settings.
• An understanding of how anthropological fieldwork is influenced by the researcher's theoretical orientation.
• Have an advanced knowledge of the defining key theoretical debates in medical anthropology.
• Articulate why theoretical frames are relevant for an understanding of the body, health and illness.
• Ability to apply theoretical insights to ethnographic texts and contexts, and wider domains of health care policy and practice.

• To develop ability to formulate theoretically informed research aims.
• To develop ability to present an effective argument (both orally and in writing) that demonstrates an awareness of the complexity of selected theoretical issues.
• An ability to read and critically evaluate the works of medical anthropologists and situate them in terms of theoretical positions.
• Competency to conduct in-depth and theoretically informed analysis of a particular issue relating to health and health care practices.
• Engage anthropological arguments in relation to the fields of medicine and international health.

• Communication: students will be taught how to communicate clearly (both orally and in writing) their understanding of the material they have read and prepare and present scholarly work for seminars and assessment.
• Improving their own learning and performance: students will learn to use a variety of web tools for searching the primary and secondary literature.
• Independent and critical reading of ethnographies.
• Ability to integrate and apply new knowledge and skills in professional practice.

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

• Lectures and Intensive seminars in medical anthropology: Organised every two weeks, in relation with and following a lecture scheduled in the preceding week. Seminars are led by a group of students presenting to the class on the topic introduced during the related lecture. Students are invited to reflect and analyse a selected list of readings making use of the theoretical approaches presented by the tutor in the preceding lecture to investigate ethnographic examples. The presentation is organised as a conference presentation format as a transferable skill and is followed by questions from other students. Students will prepare individual and group presentations and engage with current debates and research. Seminars will be considered essential part of the formative assessment.
• Lectures and seminars in sociocultural theory: the introductory lectures will be tailored to accommodate the differential knowledge and disciplinary skills of different cohorts and to make sure that students approach subsequent seminars with an appropriate level of knowledge and understanding. The primary subject of each seminar will be introduced by the tutor in order to give an overview of key theoretical approaches in social anthropology. In these sessions students are encouraged to explore the lecture content in greater detail and to identify areas in which they require particular guidance, for example on further reading. Seminars enable students to develop their abilities to conduct research, to communicate, to present theoretical alternatives and data, and to develop their own argumentation skills. Class discussion encourages background reading, contributing to the students’ independent learning. It further allows students the opportunity to exchange ideas, to explore issues and arguments that interest or concern them in greater depth, and to receive feedback from both the group and the tutor on their own arguments and understanding. Students will prepare by reading the material suggested on the course outline, which they will discuss during seminars. Seminar discussions will provide an opportunity to evaluate critically and assess a range of approaches from contemporary and classical theory.
• Summative assessment (medical anthropology) consists of one essay of 2,500 words and seminar presentation slides. The essay topic will be chosen specifically by the tutor to encourage students to engage with both the theoretical approaches discussed throughout the course and a wide range of ethnographic case studies. The essay will allow the students to demonstrate the skills developed during the course as well as their ability to communicate effectively using detailed ethnographic examples, while critically engaging with distinctive theoretical and methodological questions. The seminar slides will show development of understanding as well as presentation skills. Summative assessment (sociocultural theory) is an essay of 3,000 words. The essay topic will be chosen specifically to encourage students to compare and contrast different theoretical approaches deployed in anthropological research.
• Formative assessment (medical anthropology) consists of one essay plan or draft of up to 500 words on the topics covered during the lectures and seminars, and exploring a general theoretical essay topic provided by the tutor. Formative assessment (sociocultural theory) is a 1000 word essay draft to support the summative assessment.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

1000 word essay draft (sociocultural theory); 500 word plan for medical anthropology essay

■ 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