SOC202

Why are some people healthier than others? Biology and medicine tell us that some people are biologically or genetically predisposed to be more or less healthy. Psychology tells us that some personality traits are healthier than others. Sociology argues that health is also shaped by powerful social forces like culture, social relationships, and social inequality according to race, gender and socioeconomic status. This course connects different perspectives on health. Analyzing social causes of health adds to or complements our understanding of the biological and psychological causes. To understand, contrast, and connect knowledge from multiple disciplines on health, students will read health-related research and view documentaries and engage in discussions with peers and instructors. Scaffolded learning approaches will take students from the biological basis of selected illnesses to the sociological factors that lead to divergent health outcomes of affected individuals and communities. Students will create a social initiative that helps tackle a current public health issue.