Health & Illness in Global Perspective ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

This course explores human health, illness, and medicine through an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective. Examining a range of societies and cultures, the course focuses on issues such as: the health effects of modernization, development and globalization; the social determinants of health; the social construction of disease and suffering; and biomedical approaches to reproduction and aging. Health, illness, and healing can only be understood in the context of a society’s distinct culture and features. A holistic anthropological approach is used to explore healing practices and well-being in several cultural contexts. Medical practices are viewed as cultural systems and their relationships with other social structures and institutions are examined in comparative perspective. This course was previously SOC-283164 Health, Illness and Society.