What is disease? What is health? How are health and disease distributed among the populations? What factors determine the life expectancy of Americans? What role does a universal health care system play in Americans’ health? How do health policies and other policies influence health outcomes? To answer these questions, we need to examine health and medicine in their social, cultural and historical contexts.
In this 4-credit intensive weekend class, we will investigate the social and cultural constructions of health and illness with a focus on the social determinants of health. The relationship between race and health will be given special attention. Students will develop skills to examine how social factors shape health outcomes and learn to collectively tackle the issue through engaged problem solving.