Anth 442
Medical Anthropology
Spring 2006
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Instructor: Dr. Barbra Erickson Office Hours: Mon 3 to 5, Wed 3 to 7
Office: MH-426-D and by appointment!
Office Phone: (714) 278-5697
Email: beerickson@fullerton.edu
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| Course Description | Texts Required | Overview of Assignments | Attendance | Exams | Other Policies | Grades | Schedule | Summary of Important Dates | Download Syllabus | Class Materials |
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course surveys human health and disease and how it is related to cultural practices, belief systems, and environmental factors. The histories of various diseases as factors of cultural change and health care delivery systems will be examined.
II. TEXTS REQUIRED:
(1) Medical Anthropology in Ecological Perspective, by McElroy and Townsend (2004)
(2) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman (1997)
(3) Supplemental Readings (available on E-Reserve)
For copies of syllabi or study guides: See Anthropology Dept. Homepage and follow the links to Courses. Or, go directly to http://anthro.fullerton.edu/AnthroCourses.htm ; choose course and instructor; scroll to end of syllabus for links to other handouts.
Recommended Text [for future reference]: If you’re interested in further medical anthropology studies, I highly recommend that you invest in a copy of Carolyn Sargent and Thomas Johnson’s Medical Anthropology: Contemporary Theory and Method (1996). It covers the major theoretical perspectives in medical anthropology, contains extensive literature review and discussion of methods, and has a wonderful bibliography.
III. OVERVIEW OF ASSIGNMENTS:
(1) Reading Assignments and Discussion
Weekly readings in the text book and/or supplemental articles are assigned, and you are expected to have read these prior to the class meeting. Class meetings will be a combination of lecture and discussion, and you are expected to participate in class discussion of the material in the readings. Please print out a paper copy of the supplemental articles and bring to class during the week assigned.
(2) Book Review and Discussion
On Monday 4/3 submit a review (minimum 3 pages) on The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Be prepared to discuss the book in class on this day. Instructions for the book review will be provided.
(3) Film Responses
Write a 2-page response to any 2 of the films shown this semester. Film responses are due no later than one week after the film is shown.
(4) Research Paper
On Wednesday May 10, submit a research paper on medical anthropology. This paper must be a minimum of 10 full pages, not including the title page or references. You will be provided with detailed instructions for writing the paper.
(5) Synopsis of Research Paper Topic
On or before the day of the midterm (March 15) please submit a typed, 1 page synopsis of your proposed research paper topic. Choose a topic in medical anthropology of interest to you, or consult table of contents of your text book and the supplemental readings for ideas. Also, read Chapter 10 [“Medical Anthropologists at Work”] and Appendix [“Projects in Medical Anthropology”].
(6) Presentation
Beginning Wednesday May 3 through Wednesday May 17, students will present an oral version of their research papers. Visual aids encouraged, but not required. Instructions will be provided.
IV. ATTENDANCE:
Your attendance is important, and it is expected. Regularity of attendance and participation in discussion may, at my discretion, be used to influence a borderline grade (please note that I use the +/- grading system). On the five class days devoted to presentations, attendance counts for 5 points each day.
V. EXAMS:
There will be two exams, a midterm and a final, which will contain a combination of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. A study guide will be provided a minimum of one week prior to each exam. Exams will cover lecture, reading assignments, class discussions, and films.
Make-up exam policy: Make-up exams are not automatically given; they may be allowed in certain circumstances. You are expected to contact me prior to the exam time of your illness or other circumstances. Make-up exams, if allowed, must be taken within one week of the regularly scheduled exam.
VI. OTHER POLICIES:
Extra Credit: There will be no extra credit offered for this course.
Cell Phones: Please make sure you turn your cell phones OFF prior to class.
Late Assignments: Will be accepted, but 5 points will be deducted for each day late.
Assignment Submission: Please do not email your papers, or place in my faculty mail box.
Presentations: Must be done on assigned day. You may trade days with another student, however.
GRADES: Based on % of total points earned GRADING SCALE:
92 – 100 % = A 78 – 79% = C+
Exams (2) 200 points
Synopsis 10 90 – 91 % = A- 71 – 77% = C
Film Responses (2) 30
Book Review 50 88 - 89% = B+ 69 – 70% = C-
Research Paper 100
Presentation 50 82 – 87% = B 60 – 68% = D
Attend Presentations (5) 25
80 – 81% = B- Below 59% = F
Total Points Possible 465
Week 1 Jan 30, Feb 1
Introductions; overview of medical anthropology and its diverse approaches.
Read: Chapter 1
Week 2 Feb 6, Feb 8
Using environmental, cultural, clinical, and epidemiological data in medical anthropology; Kuru in New Guinea.
*Film: The Kuru Mystery
Read: Chapter 2; Cassell: “Perturbing the System”
Week 3 Feb 13, Feb 15
Parasites, commensals, hosts, and vectors; malaria and sickle cell anemia; Tay-Sachs disease; genetic factors in disease resistance; cultural and physiological adaptations.
Read: Chapter 3; Diamond: “Curse and Blessing of the Ghetto.”
**Film response DUE for “Kuru Mystery”
Week 4 Monday, Feb 20 HOLIDAY [no classes]
Feb 22
Paleopathology. Disease in prehistory; Ice Man, mummies.
Read: Chapter 4
Week 5 Feb 27, Mar 1
Paleopathology, cont. Peopling of the New World; disease and parasites.
*Film: The Syphilis Enigma
Read: Barrett et al. “Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases”
Diamond: “The Arrow of Disease”
Week 6 Mar 6, Mar 8
Towns, cities and changing health; Black Plague. Costs and benefits of development.
Read: Chapter 9
***Film response DUE for “Syphilis Enigma”
Week 7 Monday, Mar 13: Meet in Ruby Gerontology Center, Shapiro Wing, #C-D
Mar 15: Midterm
**Synopsis of research paper topic DUE 3/15
Week 8 Mar 20, Mar 22
Health care as a cultural system. Hippocratic medicine, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine. Biomedicine and “alternative medicine.” Folk medicine.
Read: Chapter 8; Pugh: “Concepts of Arthritis...Ayurvedic and Unani Perspectives”
SPRING BREAK: March 27 through March 31
Week 9 Apr 3, Apr 5
Magical healing, religious healing, shamanism. Psychic healing in California.
Read: The Spirit Catches You [Discuss on Monday 4/3]
Book Review DUE 4/3
Week 10 Apr 10, Apr 12
Magical healing, religious healing, shamanism (cont.)
*Film: Holy Ghost People
Read: Davis: “Hallucinogenic Plants and Their Use in Traditional Societies”
Katz: “Ritual in the Operating Room”
Week 11 Apr 17, Apr 19
Psychological conditions. “Culture-bound” syndromes. Subsistence methods and dietary deficiencies (or not), food & cooking, food symbolism, food taboos.
Read: Chapter 7, Chapter 5
**Film response DUE for “Holy Ghost People”
Week 12 Apr 24, Apr 26
Food and food symbolism, cont. Beliefs and practices about birth, food taboos in pregnancy, medicalization of birth and menopause, genetic testing, stigma
Read: Chapter 6; Boutte: “The Stumbling Disease: A Case of Stigma...”
Week 13 Monday, May 1
Anthropology of the body, bioethics, organ transplants, cell lines
Read: Martin: “Toward an Anth. of Immunity: The Body as Nation State”
Wednesday, May 3: Let the Presentations begin!!
Week 14 May 8, May 10
Student Presentations
Research papers are due on Wednesday, May 10
Week 15 May 15, May 17
Student Presentations
FINAL EXAM: Monday, May 22, 2:30 – 4:20
Summary of Important Dates:
Monday, Mar 3 Meet in Ruby Gerontology Center
Week 3 Film response for “Kuru” DUE [if you chose that film]
Week 6 Film response for “Syphilis” DUE [if you chose that film]
Wednesday, Mar 5 Midterm Exam
Wednesday, Mar 13 Synopsis of paper topic DUE
Monday, Apr 3 Book review DUE
Week 11 Film response for “Holy Ghost” DUE [if you chose that film]
Wednesday May 10 Research papers DUE
May 3—Wed May 17 Student presentations
Monday May 22 Final Exam
Download syllabus Microsoft Word (.doc) file. If you do not have Word, please use the Word Viewer.