Medical anthropology 05-MAN-23-EtnC

Learning content:

1. Introductory remarks – presenting the subject, aims of the course, literature, formal requirements.
2. Development of medical anthropology and ethnomedicine in the USA and Europe, state of the art, future prospects.
3. Development of medical anthropology in Poland; current directions of research.
4. Outline of the main orientations, theories and methods in contemporary medical anthropology.
5. Application of different approaches in research; examples from medical anthropology texts
6. Interdisciplinary connections of medical anthropology: examples of medical sociology, history of medicine and cultural epidemiology.
7. Health and illness as the focus of medical anthropology.
8. ‘Culture-bound syndromes’ or ‘folk illnesses’.
9. Anthropological concepts of medical systems, folk medicine, traditional medicine, complementary and alternative medicine. Anthropological approach to biomedicine.
10. Medical pluralism and related concepts in anthropology. Medical pluralism in ‘developing countries’.
11. ‘New medical pluralism’. The role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the West and in Poland
12. Medicalization, biomedicalization, self-medicalization and demedicalization.
13. Some examples of the new fields of research in medical anthropology.
14. Medical anthropology as an applied discipline. Ethical problems intrinsic to studying health and illness.
15. Presentations of students’ essays.

Module learning aims

Providing knowledge about scope, history and state of the art of medical anthropology. Providing knowledge about the main theoretical and methodological orientations in medical anthropology. Discussing interdisciplinary connections of medical anthropology, its place among other disciplines of social science, humanities and natural science. Introducing terminology and concepts used in medical anthropology, and discussing their value for analysis and interpretation. Developing ability of critical analysis and interpretation of biomedicine and processes of medicalization. Discussing practical applications of medical anthropology. Developing ethical sensitivity essential for studies in medical anthropology.

Information on where to find course materials

Some materials are available in the University libraries and electronic bases. Electronic copies of other texts will be provided to students by the lecturer.

Major

Master’s Program in Anthropology. Cultural Differences and Transnational Processes

Methods of teaching for learning outcomes achievement

Lectures and multimedial presentations by the teacher; discussion with students. Discussing materials gathered by students in the course of their individual work. Choosing the topics of final essays; the teacher's instructions. Presentations and discussing the essays.

Student workload (ECTS credits)

Contact hours with the teacher as specified in the programme - 30 Independent study 1 – reading (recommended texts) - 45 Independent study 2 – individual search for additional materials - 15 Independent study 3 – essay preparation - 40 Total hours - 130 Total ECTS credits for the module - 5

Cycle of studies

2nd cycle

Module type

elective

Course coordinators

Danuta Penkala-Gawęcka

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student will:
- have orientation in the history of medical anthropology, its state of the art and directions or research;
- have knowledge about main theoretical and methodological developments of medical anthropology;
- understand interdisciplinary relations between medical anthropology and other disciplines;
- know and properly use terminology adopted in medical anthropology and related disciplines;
- be able to analyse and interpret cultural and social phenomena studied by medical anthropology;
- understand practical applications of medical anthropology and the significance of its expertise for health policy;
- understand ethical aspects of practising medical anthropology.

Assessment criteria

Assessment will be based on a student's activity in seminar discussion and the final essay

5.0 – excellent knowledge, skills and social competences
4.5 – very good knowledge, skills and social competences
4.0 – good knowledge, skills and social competences
3.5 – satisfactory knowledge, skills and social competences, but with significant inadequacies
3.0 – satisfactory knowledge, skills and social competences, but with numerous errors
2.0 – unsatisfactory knowledge, skills and social competences

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 05-MAN-23-EtnC in USOSweb