Medical Sociology

How do institutions, policies, and structures shape the health of individuals and populations? How has healthcare changed over time? To what extent are the concepts of “health”, “illness”, and “disability” innate or socially constructed? This course will tackle these questions, and more, through the study of medical sociology. The course is designed for undergraduates with at least some familiarity with sociological concepts. Throughout the course, students will learn to apply theoretical and empirical insights from the readings to real-world situations. Most readings will focus on the United States, but we will occasionally read and discuss research on other countries.