The Anthropology of Health and Illness

Undergraduate

This introduction to medical anthropology focuses on the cross-cultural study of health and illness. Medical anthropology also speaks to issues of global health equity, human rights, and social suffering. This class examines the role of the healer/physician in a variety of societies, explors the boundaries between 'religion' and 'science' as they relate to healing, considers 'traditional medicine' and examines processes and practices of 'medical pluralism' by investigating how individuals and communities make health care-related decisions.