The Politics of Health and Disease

Catalog description

Despite remarkable advances in medical research and treatments during the twentieth century, we continue to confront grave challenges from infectious diseases. In addition to their human toll, infectious diseases can exact enormous economic costs, threaten social stability and, trigger political crises. Why are some more effective at countering the same infectious disease? Why have disease-controlling technologies met with such divergent responses? Why has the same state been relatively successful in countering certain diseases but has struggled with others? This course will pose and seek to advance our collective understanding of these critical questions about the politics of health and disease.