Anthropological Perspectives in Global Health

Catalog description

As the profession of social work expands globally, its role in health and social welfare can be informed by the contributions of anthropology. Medical anthropology in particular highlights the importance of cultural, social and structural factors in health and illness. The field embraces micro-perspectives relevant to social work practice (patient explanatory models, structural competence, bio-cultural and intersectional identities in gender, race, sexuality). It also includes structural critiques relevant to global health and social policy (social suffering, bio-power, structural violence and capabilities theory). This course will introduce students to anthropological perspectives and their application to global problems such as human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, mass violence and mental disorders. Emphasis will be placed on the synergy between global social work and medical anthropology.