Module ANTH4038: Global and Public Health

Department: Anthropology

ANTH4038: Global and Public Health

Prerequisites

• ANTH2081 International Health and Development

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To provide students with a range of theoretical perspectives and approaches within medical anthropology and to apply those to a range of contemporary issues in global health.
• To provide students with a range of theoretical perspectives and approaches within public health anthropology that they can apply to a range of contemporary issues.

Content

• Key theoretical approaches within medical anthropology
• Medical ecology, symbolic approaches, ethno-medicine, critical medical anthropology, political ecology
• Using these approaches to examine critically a range of contemporary issues in global health. The exact topics will vary from year to year, since this is a rapidly-changing area, but might include: trends in international health policy and practice, addressing the health-related Millennium Development Goals (maternal health, child survival, combating infectious diseases including HIV), global health inequalities, gender equity and health, key transnational commercial players: the global pharmaceutical industry; the international tobacco industry, medical pluralism and the role of ‘traditional’ healers, participatory health research and action, mobility, migration and health, conflict and health, rise of non-communicable diseases in the Global South, health impacts of climate change.
• Public health will be defined according to the UK Faculty of Public Health, namely: “the science and art of promoting and protecting health and well-being, preventing ill-health and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society”. The module will cover the three key domains of public health, viz. health improvement, health services, and health protection.
• Key theoretical and methodological approaches within public health anthropology:
• Medical ecology, symbolic approaches, ethno-medicine, critical public health anthropology, political ecology, engaged anthropology.
• Using these approaches to examine critically a range of contemporary issues in public health. While examples will be taken from around the world, the focus will be on issues facing contemporary industrial and post-industrial societies. Topics will be chosen that address and interrogate key tensions in public health, viz.: engagement/critique, public/private, action/behaviour, the nature of ‘evidence’, inequality/equity, biology/culture, local/global.

Learning Outcomes

• Key theoretical approaches within medical and public health anthropology
• Overview of key contemporary issues and debates within global health and public health anthropology

• Ability to critically evaluate and apply (medical) anthropological theory to a range of contemporary issues in global and public health.
• Ability to synthesise, critically evaluate and present complex anthropological material, including data, models and theoretical arguments.

• Ability to engage critically with a range of literature.
• Ability to communicate succinctly and clearly in both oral and written format.
• Ability to bring together and contrast different disciplinary perspectives on key contemporary issues.

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

• This is an intensive seminar-based course. Contributing teaching staff set out the broad contexts and key issues, which is followed by student-led discussion. Seminars provide an opportunity for students to read, synthesize and present recent primary references and major reviews within both the medical anthropology and global health literatures. Students prepare presentations individually and collaboratively. Thus students are brought into contact with up-to-date research are encouraged to evaluate it critically and gain practice in presenting relevant materials to others and in learning collaboratively.
• Summative assessment consists of two essays, each of 3,000 words. The essay topics will be chosen specifically to encourage students to draw on concepts from throughout the module, rather than being able to use material from only one or two sessions.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Formative assessment for global health will be a 1000 word essay plan. Informal feedback on student presentations / discussions within seminars will also help students to hone their communication and critical evaluation skills.

■ 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