Commercial Determinants of Health: A Focus on Globalization

(3 Credits)

Globalization has propelled multinational companies to shape economies and societies worldwide, influencing cultural norms around food and redefining consumer behaviors. This course examines the pivotal role of these commercial actors in the food and alcohol industries in determining population health outcomes. How do globalization and transnationalization impact human health? Based in Florence, known for Mediterranean diet patterns, the course explores the food industry and its role in population health, with a comparative analysis to the US and UAE. We discuss how large corporate strategies impact local food systems, food security, and chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Students will visit local markets, orchards, and dairy farms and interview experts from local hospitals, universities, and health departments. They will critically analyze industry practices and their impact on research sponsorship, health equity, social justice, and population-level disease risk. Through in-country case studies, students gain insights into the complex commercial relationships impacting health while identifying strategies to promote healthier societies. This course will be taught at NYU Florence and will count as an Away J-Term course.