Health, Society, and the Environment

4.0 credits

This course explores the relationship between health, society, and the environment. It examines the health disparities experienced by communities in the U.S. and across the globe as they relate to environmental issues. We review debates on environmental health through ethnographic case studies that cover themes such as climate change, toxicity, energy, waste, war, disasters, food, and industrial agriculture. Students will learn about the theoretical underpinning and methodological approaches for doing anthropological research on issues pertaining to environmental health. Through readings, discussions, and hands-on activities, we will also engage with contemporary and intersectional frameworks that envision sustainable paths forward for addressing varied forms of environmental health injustices. This course assumes some level of background knowledge on environmental and/or medical anthropology.