STS 2468

Last Updated

  • Schedule of Classes - June 19, 2018 12:09PM EDT
  • Course Catalog - March 23, 2018 2:31PM EDT

STS 2468
Medicine, Culture, and Society

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2017-2018.

Medicine has become the language and practice through which we address a broad range of both individual and societal complaints. Interest in this "medicalization of life" may be one of the reasons that medical anthropology is currently the fastest-growing subfield in anthropology. This course encourages students to examine concepts of disease, suffering, health, and well-being in their immediate experience and beyond. In the process, students will gain a working knowledge of ecological, critical, phenomenological, and applied approaches used by medical anthropologists. We will investigate what is involved in becoming a doctor, the sociality of medicines, controversies over new medical technologies, and the politics of medical knowledge. The universality of biomedicine (or hospital medicine) will not be taken for granted, but rather we will examine the plurality generated by the various political, economic, social, and ethical demands under which biomedicine has developed in different places and at different times. In addition, biomedical healing and expertise will be viewed in relation to other kinds of healing and expertise. Our readings will address medicine in North America as well as other parts of the world. In class, our discussions will return regularly to consider the broad diversity of kinds of medicine throughout the world, as well as the specific historical and local contexts of biomedicine.

When Offered Spring.

Distribution Category (CA-AS)

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Choose one lecture and one discussion. Combined with: ANTHR 2468, BSOC 2468, FGSS 2468

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  8367 STS 2468   LEC 001

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  •  8368 STS 2468   DIS 201

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  •  8369 STS 2468   DIS 202

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  •  8370 STS 2468   DIS 204

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  •  8371 STS 2468   DIS 205

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  •  8372 STS 2468   DIS 206

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  •  8373 STS 2468   DIS 207

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  •  8374 STS 2468   DIS 208

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  •  8506 STS 2468   DIS 209

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