International development
Health, Poverty and Inequality
Module code: L2102N
Level 5
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Workshop, Lecture
Assessment modes: Essay
On this module, you'll explore issues of culture, power, and knowledge in the study of health and development.
You'll examine the relationship between poverty, social marginality, and illness in various historical and contemporary contexts, drawing on perspectives from:
- medical anthropology
- medical sociology
- public health
- cultural psychology
- feminist and activist politics
- development studies.
Key topics include:
- emerging infectious diseases such as HIV and AIDS
- homelessness and its impact on health
- mental health
- organ donation.
You'll also scrutinise health policies, particularly in maternal and child health, and explore how the increasing use of medical technologies affects healthcare delivery.
Module learning outcomes
- A theoretical understanding of the different social science perspectives on health and development especially as they relate to issues of social, economic and political power, inequalities and knowledge systems
- A critical understanding of cross-cultural approaches to health and their application
- Sound knowledge of the core reading and a related range of conceptual issues
- The skills to handle material from different disciplinary perspectives in writing