SGLK20003U The Anthropology of Global Health
MSc Programme in Global Health - compulsory
The overall aim of this course is to investigate connections between anthropology and global health and to understand social and cultural influences of health, sickness, and interventions around the world.
This course introduces students to core concepts in medical anthropology relevant for the analysis of individual response to illness and affliction and for an understanding of how relationships between patients and health care providers are shaped.
Key course topics include: Population dynamics and the relation to global health; health, wealth and global power structures; illness narratives and therapeutic trajectories, health care systems and healing traditions; life-course, lifestyles as well as the role of medical technologies.
Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to think critically and creatively about health problems and policies and to envision innovative and effective responses to some of the main health challenges. Furthermore, students will be introduced to writing policy briefs.
Learning objectives:
On completion of the course, students should be able to:
Knowledge
- Understand health care practices and perceptions in the broader social and political context.
- Describe and discuss social and cultural factors influencing health, sickness and therapy in low- middle and high-income societies
- Identify and discuss, from an anthropological point of view, the role of different stakeholders at international, national, and local levels.
- Describe main global health challenges and discuss possible responses to these challenges
Skills:
- Work in inter-disciplinary settings
- Apply relevant theoretical concepts in the analysis of selected social and cultural aspects influencing health care practices.
- Communicate research-based knowledge efficiently through such genres as policy briefs and portfolio development.
Competencies:
- Critically evaluate (selected) central aspects of health care interventions from an equity perspective
- Develop and present short analyses of selected health care challenges based on case studies and/or critical reading of articles.
- Demonstrate good communication competencies
The reading list includes peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. In addition, we include film cuts and if relevant newspaper articles in the teaching.
If you are applying for the course as a credit transfer student, you must have passed courses in qualitative and quantitative research methodology, for 5 ECTS respectively. Documentation for corresponding competencies in the form of a course description and an exam result must be attached to your application.
• Formal lectures by selected teachers followed by discussions
• Group assignments (both small class-room assignments as well as home-work) assignments)
• Case-work
• Student presentations
• Portfolio development
• Peer-feedback
• Workshop on policy briefs
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 32
- Preparation
- 145
- Exam
- 30
- Total
- 207
The course responsible offers general feedback after the exam. In addition, a brief general feed-back will be provided after the first portfolio hand-in.
Open for credit transfer students and other external students. Apply here:
4 slots are allocated for credit transfer students and other external students.
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Portfolio
- Type of assessment details
- The student must hand-in a total of 3 portfolios at three
specific (given) dates (one portfolio on each of the dates) during
the course in order to have portfolio 2 and 3 assessed by the
examiners. The first two portfolios must be handed-in in Absalon.
The third and final portfolio must be handed-in in Digital Exam no
later than the date determined in the exam plan.
The portfolios are individual assignments.
The length of each portfolio should max be 8.000 characters incl. spaces. The total length of the three portfolios should be maximum 24.000 characters incl. spaces (excl. title page and references, incl. notes).
The purpose of the portfolios is to ensure that students work in depth with the course
material during the course rather than at the end of the course only. - Exam registration requirements
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
More than one internal examiner.
- Exam period
- Re-exam
In case of 10 or fewer students registered for re-exam
Type of assessment: Oral examination
Assessment details: 30 minutes examination
Preparation: 30 minutes
Criteria for exam assesment
To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student must be able to demonstrate
Knowledge
- on the social and cultural factors influencing health, sickness and therapy in low-, middle and high-income
-on the broader social and political context for an understanding of health care practices and perceptions
- on the role of different stakeholders at international, national and local levels
Skills
- related to the analysis of selected social and cultural aspects of health care in a global context
-related to the formulation of short policy briefs on current
global health issues
Competencies
- in critical evaluation of central (selected) health care policies
and interventions applying core concepts from medical anthropology
and related fields
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- SGLK20003U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Autumn And Block 2
- Schedule
- Please see the Schedule in Syllabus.
- Course capacity
- 44 participants. 4 slots are allocated for credit transfer students.
Study board
- The Study Board for Public Health Science and Global Health
Contracting department
- Department of Public Health
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinators
- Helle Samuelsen
(11-50365b69757d6d747b6d764869767c707a7736737d366c73)
Chief responsibility
Lecturers
Helle Samuelsen, Ayo Wahlberg, Tine Gammeltoft, Susan Whyte & others