INTHE4113 – Introduction to Medical Anthropology: Key Concepts and Perspectives
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course introduces anthropological perspectives on health, illness and medicine, and explores the interactions between biology, society and culture. It aims to present a contextual and comparative approach in which cultural and social dimensions of health-related issues are emphasized, and placed within broader political and historical processes. It will also offer a people-centered approach to understanding global health policies and interventions.
Through lectures and group work we will make extensive use of examples from mainly Africa, Asia and Norway. Four themes will be central to the course:
- cultural and social constructions of health, disease, illness and the body, and the role of medical pluralism.
- the significance of power relations and inequality in the global distribution of health and illness.
- the globalization of biomedical technologies,
- the social, cultural and political implications of global health policies.
The course is taught over five days, through lectures and extensive use of seminars.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
You will learn about anthropological perspectives and approaches to topics such as:
- Social and cultural aspects in analysis of health, illness and medicine.
- Illness narratives and explanatory models of illness
- Medical pluralism
- Medicines and pharmaceuticals
- Global health policies and practices
- Clinical trials and interventions
- Birth, death and dying
Skills
You will learn:
- to think critically about the relations between culture, health and illness
- to discuss the body in cultural perspective
- to explain biomedicine as a social and cultural system
- to explain how power relations and inequality are relevant to health and healing
- to critically analyse the relationship between global health policies and practices and local perspectives
- to explore the potential of socio-cultural perspectives within their own projects.
General competence:
- You will be able to engage with debates about health, illness and medicine in a cross-cultural perspective, in both oral and written forms.
Admission
- Students enrolled at the master programme in International Community Health or Tverrfaglig helseforskning will get priority to the course, if they register in Studentweb before 10 January. The latest deadline to register and apply for the course in Studentweb is February 1.
- Students enrolled in other master’s programmes at the UIO can, on application before 10 January to our application form, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme. We prioritize students at other programmes at the Institute and Faculty. You will get an answer latest 20 January.
- External applicants, not already enrolled as a student at UIO, are welcome to apply via our application form before 10 January with all relevant documents. Applicants who have not attached all the necessary documents will not get admission. You will need to document 1) upper secondary education, 2) higher education and 3) English language proficiency. Please see the form for more information. You would also need a specialization either within health sciences or social sciences. You will get an answer latest 20 January.
Overlapping courses
5 credits overlap with MF9280 – Introduction to Medical Anthropology (discontinued)
Teaching
Lectures and seminars/group work. 80% attendance in the seminars/group work is required to be eligible to take the exam. Attendance will be registered.
Examination
Home exam.
Submit assignments in Inspera
You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera. Read about how to submit your assignment.
Use of sources and citation
You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.