ANT220H5

Introduction to the Anthropology of Health

This course introduces students to the many strategies anthropologists use to understand patterns of health and disease in human populations through time. It will serve as an entry point into the Anthropology of Health focus and will be a prerequisite for later courses in Growth and Development, Infectious Disease, and the Advanced Seminar in the Anthropology of Health. In this course, the concept of health is examined using bioarchaeology, biomedicine, medical anthropology, and epidemiology. The course examines evolutionary, epigenetic, and life history approaches to understanding chronic disease risk in human populations, culminating in an investigation of the role of poverty and social inequality on disease burden. Although the course is designed as an introduction to the Health focus, it is suitable for students seeking training in pre-health disciplines and is open to all students possessing the necessary prerequisites.