Society, Drugs and Health

Catalog description

Analyzes how humans use exogenous chemicals to change psychology, biology and behavior and what positive and negative consequences this has for human health. Explores how such chemical technologies arise through cultural evolution, how societies decide what are appropriate and inappropriate uses of such technologies, how these technologies change what is considered normal biological functioning and behavior and how these technologies shape human health. Through this substantive topic, introduces basic concepts and tools in two related fields--medical anthropology and epidemiology. A consistent focus in the course is developing tools that can be applied to improve the provision of care and health care policy.