Social Justice and Worker Health
Course is an overview on work as a key social determinant of health. The workplace is commonly viewed as a setting for health promotion of individual behavior change, while its potential to be a source of critical exposures that directly impact health, safety & well-being of working populations is often overlooked. Purpose of the class is to help public health practitioners build a framework for understanding the role that work & workplace conditions play in individual & community health, to introduce strategies that address work-related health inequities & facilitate the development of concrete skills in these areas. The course emphasizes worker & community organization & participation in effecting social justice & public health change.
Topics
- Define the concept of a healthy job, and describe work as a social determinant of health with an emphasis on its impact on the lives of low-wage, immigrant, and other vulnerable workers and communities. Describe the “landscape” of work and labor dynamics, including current issues and topics in worker health and safety and the populations most affected by workplace hazards and risks. Discuss basic theoretical and experiential concepts underlying the following public health strategies: ○ Community organizing ○ Labor organizing ○ Training for action ○ Effective partnerships ○ Work-related policies Practice skills in community organizing, popular education, training for action, and building effective partnerships that are all essential to professional community-based practice in public health.
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027