“THE LAST WORD IN BIOLOGY IS THE FIRST WORLD IN SOCIOLOGY”

[Sociology & Philosophy, L.T. Hobhouse, 1966]

DREXEL UNIVERSITY

COURSE: SOC. 235-001 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Machado

TITLE: Sociology of Health and Illness OFFICE: C & C 318

SUMMER TERM: 2006-07 OFFICE HOURS: By Appointment

Email: machadod@drexel.edu PHONE: 215-895-2402

SYLLABUS

TO THE STUDENT: A syllabus is an implicit agreement between a professor and students about the nature of the course, the expectations for student/teacher conduct, the calendar of events, and methods and criteria for evaluation of student’s accomplishment. Thus, you should keep and use this syllabus for frequent reference during the course. If during the course you need help, please come to see me as soon as you think you need it. Don’t wait until the week before the final examination.

INTRODUCTION: Sociology is more than the study of human social (group) behavior. The true object of sociology is human social practices. In this course the sociological perspective focuses on the social practices of health, illness, health care, and on the scientific practice of medicine.

PURPOSE: We will look at four aspects of health, illness, and medical care: 1) The social construction of the human body, and the social aspects and causation of disease and illness; 2) The epistemological and ontological assumptions/foundations of the reigning paradigm of allopathic medical science, i.e., the Biomedical paradigm; 3) The history of Western medicine and 4) The organization, delivery and financing of health care in the U.S. and its comparison to other systems of health care delivery.

GOALS: 1) To help students to become aware that, as Virchow and Winternitz argued, the science of medicine is indeed a “social science” par excellence, and that health/medical care, theory and practice, mirror the structure of society. 2) To provide students with some of the sociological concepts and insights with which sociologists and other scientists analyze the foundational assumptions of medical science, health/medical care practices, institutions and organizations, and the social production of disease and illness. 3) To make available through readings, lectures, and discussions, the information gathered by serious sociologists and other health/medical care specialists about health/medical care in the U.S. and other cultures. 4) To offer students the opportunity to develop the ability to engage in critical reasoning regarding the overall present condition and paradigmatic anomalies of medical science and of health/medical care delivery in American society. NOTE: This is a difficult course! You should attend class regularly and keep up with the readings.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: 1. The Sociology of Health and Illness , by Sarah Nettleton [SN in the readings] 2. Status Syndrome, by M. Marmot, [MM].

EXAMINATIONS: The evaluation of your accomplishment in this course will be based on a) two in-class examinations, and b) a short term paper, of five, six pages, on any topic pertaining to the subject matter of the course [social aspects/causes of health/illness]. The term paper is due to me on last day of classes. NOTE: A college term paper requires the utilization and inclusion of bibliographic sources!

TENTATIVE EXAM DATE: Exam 1 will be given on Friday , July, 20, EXAM 2 will be given on Friday, August 17 and the Paper is due on Friday, August 31^st..

GRADING PROCEDDURES: The short term paper will be worth 40 per cent (or less) and the in-class exams 30 per cent (or less) each, of the final course grade. NOTE: I do not curve grades. Make up exams will be given only in case of documented justifiable reason.

Syllabus, Soc. 235, Sociology of Health… Summer 06-07 Dr. Machado, page 2

DISABILITIES: Students with disabilities requesting accommodations and services at Drexel University need to present a current accommodation verification letter (“AVL”) to faculty before accommodations can be made. AVLs are issued by the Office of Disability Services (”ODS”). For additional information, contact the ODS at www.drexel.edu/edt/disability, 3201 Arch St., St. 210, Philadelphia, PA 19104, V 215.895.1401, or TTY 215.895.2299

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES: Class meetings will consist of a combination of lectures and discussions. Students’ comments, observations and questions are welcomed and encouraged.

BEFORE CLASS READING ASSIGNMENTS AND COURSE CALENDAR

Week 1 6/25 General Introduction, This Syllabus, The Three Worlds, The Kuhnian notion

of PARADIGM, normal science, anomalies, crisis and scientific revolutions.

Introduction SN ch. 1

Week 2 7/2 **NO CLASS W 7/4

The Social Construction of Medical Knowledge SN ch 2

Week 3 7/9 Lay Health Beliefs…. SN ch 3

Week 4 7/16 Some are More Equals than Others MM ch1

Men & Women Behaving Badly MM ch 2

Poverty Enriched MM ch 3

***EXAM 1 F 7/20

Week 5 7/23 The Experience of Chronic Illness, And the Sociology

of the Body SN chs 4,5

Week 6 7/30 Relatively Speaking And Who’s in Charge? MM chs 4,5

Week 7 8/6 The Sociology of Lay-Professional Interaction SN ch 6

Week 8 8/13 Home Alone, Trusting Together, The Missing Man of

Russia MM chs 6,7,8

***EXAM 2 F 8/17

Week 9 8/20 Late Modernism….. SN ch 8

The Travails of Fathers and Mothers MM ch 9

Week 10 8/27 The Moral Imperative… MM ch 10

TERM PAPER DUE

Relevant tapes will be shown during the term.

NOTE: THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALTER ANY ASPECT OF THIS

SYLLABUS, IN WHICH CASE THE STUDENT SHAL BE INFORMED IN ADVANCE.