Culture, Health and Illness

Subject 505-502 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.500
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

Semester 1, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

Classroom

Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: One 2 hour seminar per week.
Total Time Commitment: Students should expect a total time commitment outside the stated contact hours of at least three hours for each hour of contact in this subject.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Centre for the Study of Health & Society
Subject Overview:

This subject provides an introduction to critical medical anthropology, a rapidly growing and dynamic endeavour, which provides a link between social anthropology and biological anthropology. While the subject discusses various perspectives in medical anthropology, it focuses on critical medical anthropology which draws upon the interdisciplinary literature on political economy of health and world systems theory. The subject addresses topics such as health and the environment from foraging societies to the capitalist world system; the social origins of disease and suffering; medical systems in indigenous and pre-capitalist state societies; biomedicine; medical pluralism; health issues among Australian aborigines, the Maori, and peoples of Papua New Guinea; the anthropology of the body; and the struggle to create a healthy planet.

Assessment: Masters (500 Level) Assessment is in the form of a mid-semester 2000-word essay (40%) and a final 2500-word end of semester essay (50%) and two 250 word abstracts on selected readings to be discussed in class, to be submitted during the semester (2x5%).
Prescribed Texts: None
Recommended Texts: A set of readings will be available for purchase.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Links to further information: http://www.sph.unimelb.edu.au
Notes:

This subject is a Group 1 elective in the Master of Public Health.

Subject Coordinator: Dr Hans Baer 8344 9174
Related Course(s): Master of Development Studies(CWT)
Master of Public Health
Master of Social Health (Aboriginal Health)
Master of Social Health (Health Ethics)
Master of Social Health (Health Policy)
Master of Social Health (Interdisciplinary)
Master of Social Health (Medical Anthropology)

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