Module ANTH42515: Evolutionary and Ecological Topics in Medicine and Health

Department: Anthropology

ANTH42515: Evolutionary and Ecological Topics in Medicine and Health

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To examine contemporary health problems using evolutionary and ecological perspectives and to give students advanced subject-specific knowledge which is core to Evolutionary Medicine.

Content

• The course will consider a number of health issues of importance in low-income and more affluent contexts that may, include ethnicity and health, infectious diseases (e.g HIV/AIDS, emerging ear infections) ageing and vaccine development, the Hygiene Hypothesis, concepts of mismatch and other topics of general and immediate interest within evolutionary medicine and anthropology. Evolutionary, ecological and evolutionary ecological perspectives will be emphasised and will be contrasted with more clinical perspectives. Students will acquire an advanced understanding of evolutionary and ecological theories surrounding various pathologies and will be expected to read and criticise primary and secondary literature.

Learning Outcomes

• To develop a good understanding of evolutionary and ecology theories as they apply to human health, disease and medicine
• To understand at advanced level the theoretical and practical contributions of evolutionary medicine as applied to a number of pathologies, and contrast evolutionary and ecological perspectives with clinical approaches
• To understand at advanced level a number of evolutionary and ecological models of human disease and how these have practical benefits for improving medical care

• Application of evolutionary and ecological approaches to contemporary health problems
• Ability to recognise and promote the practical benefits of Evolutionary Approaches to health

• To write critical reports using the relevant primary and secondary literature.
• To develop the ability to work independently to identify and critique primary literature.
• To develop skills in oral presentation
• To develop skills in creating posters for presentations of key issues

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

• There will be an introductory one-hour seminar with further seminars (1.5 hours each) run on a weekly basis. The format of the seminars may vary. Students will be expected to make presentationsas part of some seminars, providing them an opportunity to develop presentation skills in a supportive environment. the coursework assignment tests skills of independent reading, understanding, analysis and presentation. Independent reading will reinforce the learning outcomes. There will be an individual assessment comprising a 2,500 word essay (70%) and a powerpoint poster (30%) developed from the same topic to be chosen in consultation with the course instructor(s).

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Formative essay will be a)an initial 600 word draft of the summative essay b)an outline draft of the powerpoint posterusing reference criteria from the human biology association or american association of physical anthropologists (USA) guide to producing effective posters.