Isaac Sasson

Course Description

Health inequality is perhaps the most fundamental of social inequalities, and as such continues to be a primary topic of interest for sociologists. Despite remarkable improvements in human health and longevity over the past two centuries, health disparities persist across multiple social dimensions. The main course objective is then to move beyond biological and biomedical explanations of disease, which emphasize individual risk factors, and instead view health and illness as socially patterned phenomena. The first half of the course will examine two disparate macro-sociological phenomena: 1) the transition from societies with high mortality and life expectancy below 40 to societies characterized by chronic diseases and life expectancy exceeding 80; 2) the persistence of health inequality across class, race, and gender throughout the same historical period. The second part of the course will deal with micro-sociological aspects of health, including health behaviors and their diffusion through social networks. The third part will deal with the medical profession and social construction of medical knowledge. Toward the end of the course, if time permits, we will cover additional topics such as the health care system and bioethics. While the course is primarily focused on contemporary U.S. society, it will often employ historical and global perspectives in comparison.

Reading

Readings will be posted on Blackboard.

Grading*

5% Class participation and office hour attendance (at least once throughout semester)

35% Written assignments

30% Midterm exam

30% Final exam

Letter grades will be based on the following performance levels: A (94-100), A- (90-93), B+ (87-89), B (84-86), B- (80-83), C+ (77-79), C (74-76), C- (70-73), D+ (67-69), D (64-66), D- (60-63), F (59 or lower)

* Grading scheme subject to change until first class day

Description

The course introduces how sociological theory can contribute to our understanding of health, illness, mortality, and medicine. The main course objective is to move beyond biological and medical explanations of disease, which typically focus on the individual, and instead view health and illness as social phenomena. First, we examine the social determinants of disease and mortality in the U.S. and the West, as well as the main health challenges facing less developed nations. Then, we shift our focus to sociological models of illness at the individual level and the spread of health behaviors through social networks. In the third section we gain critical insight into the medical profession and the construction of medical knowledge. Toward the end of the course, if time permits, we will cover additional topics including the health care system, bioethics, and environmental risks. While the course will focus primarily on contemporary U.S. society, we will often employ historical and global perspectives in comparison.

Text

Weitz, Rose. 2012. The Sociology of Health, Illness, and Health Care: A Critical Approach (6^th edition). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Grading

Course grades will be determined as follows:

5% Class participation + attend office hours at least once

20% Two written assignments (10% each)

15% Group assignment

30% Midterm exam

30% Final exam