3330 6.0 Health and Illness in Cross-Cultural Perspectives Course Director: Christianne Stephens
Time: Thurs 2:30-5:30 ACW 205
"Health and illness are not merely biological states, but are conditions which are ultimately related to and constituted by the social nature of human life" (Lock & Gordon). Using critical and cross-cultural perspectives, we will examine the diverse ways in which individuals and societies understand, express, and manage illness and health. In doing so, we will see that medical anthropology offers a window into the relationship between our bodies and our social, cultural and political worlds.
Through this course you learn the central early and contemporary theories and methods of medical anthropology. This foundational underpinning will guide your critical study of health and illness, which will include topics such as: the diversity of medical beliefs and practices; the relationship between healers and patients; the national & international health arenas; the life cycle, gender and health; and the social implications of the new technologies of biomedicine.
