Introduction to Black Health I

4.0 credits

This introductory course examines 1) a variety of diseases and illness—such as sickle cell anemia, Type II diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and triple-negative breast cancer— that disproportionately impact people of African descent throughout the U.S., Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa in addition to 2) the sociological, biological, and political factors that shape these disparities. This course is organized into modules centered around topical foci such as sexual health and reproduction; food, weight, and the metabolic body; and epigenetics and the inheritance of disease. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of racialized diseases and critical perspectives on disease etiology through in-depth engagement with course readings, documentaries such as Mossville: When Great Trees Fall, in-class mock “parliamentary” debates and mini-presentations, ethnographic reflection memos, and class discussions.