Medical Sociology

Catalog description

What does it mean to be healthy or sick? How does social stratification impact the ways people access various forms of healthcare? How are medical institutions connected to social structures like the economy, religion, and the family? How is death and dying approached in various social contexts? This course investigates these and other questions through analyzing various sociological approaches to understanding health and medicine. Students will learn numerous sociological perspectives about how healthcare structures shape social life and develop an understanding of how other social institutions impact the ways people do or don’t access the healthcare they need and want. Prerequisites: SOC 101 or SOC 110 or SOC 220 or SOC 260 or SOC 268 or SOC 269 or SOC 302 or SOC 306 or SOC 381