KINS 356 Outline

THE KING'S UNIVERSITY

TERM:

2022-23 Fall

COURSE NUMBER:

KINS 356

COURSE TITLE:

Sociology of Health and Illness

NAME OF INSTRUCTOR:

Dr Jennifer Braun and Dr David Long

CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION:

credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 0)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course explores health, illness and death from a sociological perspective. In our examination of the broad cultural, political, economic, and interpersonal forces that impact health and illness, we will reflect critically on the relationship between the social determinants of health such as social class, race, gender, and age and patterns of health, illness and death in Canada and worldwide. We will explore historical and contemporary developments in dominant and alternative perspectives on the causes and treatment of disease and illness as well as contemporary issues surrounding the social experience of being ill, mental health, addictions, reasons for seeking particular types of care, and perspectives on death and dying.

Same as SOCI 356.

Prerequisites: SOCI 200

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Hornosty, Jennie & John Germov.(2017) Second Opinion: An Introduction to Health Sociology 2nd Canadian Edition. Oxford University Press.
Other assigned readings available on Moodle

MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:


Module 1 Assignments	25%
Module 2 Assignments	25%
Module 3 Assignments	25%
Module 4 Assignment (Short writing paper)	25%

	100%

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Students will develop their sociological imaginations in ways that will help them think about health and illness in a critically hopeful sociological way.

Students will learn to think of health, medicine, and the body as socially constructed.

Students will learn the concepts, theories and methods used in health sociology research and how to apply them in ways that will contribute to a deeper sociological understanding of their own pursuit of health and wellness.

Students will become familiar with the range of themes and topics studied by health sociologists.

Students will learn to understand past and current developments in health, illness, medicine, and health care from a sociological perspective.

LECTURE OUTLINE:

Module 1 Studying Health Sociologically

Introductions & Land Acknowledgement
Health Problems as Social Issues
Theorizing Health
Researching Health

Module 2 The Social Production and Distribution of Health and Illness

Health and Inequality
Women's Health
Racialization, Diversity, and Health
Indigenous People and Health
Environmental Links to Health

Module 3 The Social Construction of Health and Illness

Medicalization
Disability and Illness
Aging, Dying and Death

Module 4 The Social Organization of Health Care

Medicine and Public Health
Power, Politics, and Values in the Canadian Healthcare System
Complementary and Alternative Care

Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.