Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Critical analysis of theories and frameworks central to research and practice on health inequities. Emphasis on mechanisms through which gender, race, ethnicity, social class and other social axes of marginalization and power intersect to influence health outcomes at the population level.

COURSE DETAILS:

The importance of reducing health inequities has emerged as an imperative for health scholars, policy makers and practitioners both within Canada and globally. Increasingly, health inequities are being understood within a conceptual framework that foregrounds the role of structural factors and accounts for intersecting axes of oppression and privilege. Despite a substantial evidence base documenting social inequities in health, there are major gaps in our understanding of the pathways and mechanisms whereby health inequities are produced. Thus, there is limited information on which to base development of effective prevention and intervention policies and programs to achieve health equity. This course covers critical analysis of theories and frameworks central to research and practice on social and health inequities. Emphasis will be on theorizing structures and mechanisms through which gender, race, ethnicity, social class and other social axes of marginalization and power intersect to influence health equity at the population level.

Teaching Format: Seminar; emphasis is on active student engagement and participation, including group discussion, co-facilitation of assigned readings, and short presentations.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Problematize concepts and classifications of sex/gender/sexuality, race/ethnicity, social class/socioeconomic status (SES) and other categories of ‘difference’, in relation to social structures and social stratification;
2. Critically assess theories that explain constructions of sex/gender/sexuality, race/ethnicity/ indigeneity, class/SES and other markers of identity and social location with attention to their intersections, historical and contemporary contexts, and relationships to social and health inequities;
3. Identify frameworks and theories that shape the conceptualization and implementation of research and practice addressing health inequities;
4. Critically evaluate structures and mechanisms through which sex/gender inequality, racialization/ racism, colonisation and class inequality produce and maintain health inequities;
5. Engage in self-reflection about one’s own social positions relative to others, and discuss implications of one’s positionality for research and practice addressing health inequities.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: