The Interplay Of Ethics, Politics, and Science in Public Health

Catalog description

Vaccine requirements, taxation of soda and cigarettes, communication campaigns on healthy lifestyles – these public health interventions have saved lives. These different measures illustrate the range of approaches in public health, from laws that force individuals to take action to persuasive strategies to convince people to do so. These approaches also raise questions: When is it justifiable to employ coercion to achieve public health gains? Can persuasion be manipulative? What groups may be empowered, or marginalized, by these measures? In this course, we will explore how scientific evidence, socio-political forces, and ethics intersect to frame public health issues, policies, and research. This course will help students develop analytical skills that can be employed to examine controversial topics and evaluate public health programs critically. These skills can be applied to varied contexts and settings, being foundational in students’ professional and academic careers.