Nina Palmo, PhD

In this course you will learn more about the U.S. health care system as it compares to health
care systems in other countries around the world. We will start with a look at what the other
rich countries in the world are doing, including a few countries that are particularly innovative
in their approach to health care. Next, we will spend some time on the Nordic model and the
cultural values that underlie the health care system. The final project in this course is to
design your own health care innovation.

Health care is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries nationally and internationally
and health care reform continues to be a pressing political topic. Health care also something
that affects every person’s future, whether as a future health care provider, other health
expert, or patient.

The first book we will read this semester is The Healing of America: A
Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care by T.R. Reid.
The author, a journalist, details his visits to several industrialized
democracies around the world for a tour of their health care systems.

The second book we will read is The Price We Pay: What Broke
American Health Care – And How to Fix It by Marty Makary, M.D. The
author is a surgeon and health policy expert. He proposes grass-roots
movements and physician-led solutions for solving health care
problems.

The third book we will read is called The Nordic Theory of Everything: In
Search of a Better Life. The author is a Finnish journalist and now
naturalized American citizen. The book describes her entry into
American life and the way life in the U.S. differs from the Nordic model
when it comes to health care, business, education, and more.

The final book we will read is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down:
A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two
Cultures by Anne Fadiman. The book has become a classic for
understanding the need for cultural competency in medical and social
service fields.

What is this course about?
In this course you will write your own independent, quantitative research paper. This means
you’ll learn to formulate a research question, describe how this question fits with published
research, work with data and statistical software to answer that question, write up the results,
and present your research to the class. We will all work with the same dataset – the National
College Health Assessment (NCHA) data, which surveys college students about topics like
general health and safety, substance use, sexual behavior, nutrition, exercise, mental health,
physical health, and academic performance.

Why is this course important?
This course will help you refine your academic writing skills as you develop an independent
research paper during the term. This process will enhance your ability to interpret and
communicate findings examining the role of social forces on health and illness. It will also
help you become a critical reader of existing scholarly research. The course also serves as an
opportunity to network with other future leaders in health and healthcare as you develop a
sense of teamwork and camaraderie with your classmates.

What is the format of this course?
This course will take place entirely over Zoom. We have two meeting times each week
reserved for synchronous participation. On Tuesdays we will generally have a large group
discussion related to the book we are reading, or information will be presented about how to
write a section of the research paper. On Thursdays we will generally have small group
projects and workdays that will help you as you write your research paper.

Books you will need.
American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campusby sociologist Lisa Wade.
Sex Matters: How Male-Centric Medicine Endangers Women’s Health and What We Can Do About It. The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper.

Description  

This course provides a look at the economics of health and health care through a sociological lens. In neoclassical economics, rational behavior and market transactions provide an efficient allocation of goods and services. From a sociological perspective, markets are social institutions that are shaped by the cultural, political, and historical environments in which they operate.   This course will examine how the multidimensional nature and distribution of health and health care are shaped by a variety of social and economic factors. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of the power of incentives, markets, and cost-benefit analysis, as well as the limits of these tools, in creating effective health care policy.     The first part of the course will examine how social environment shapes health and health behaviors and how health disparities are viewed from sociological and economic standpoints. The second part of the course will focus on the institutions that regulate access to health care and the historical developments that led to these arrangements.   Topics include:   - Gender, race, and class differences in health - The creation and reproduction of health disparities - Health behavior and externalities - The demand and supply of health care - Moral hazard, adverse selection, and health care insurance - Health insurance and the labor market - Problems of uninsurance - History of health care reform - Comparative health policies.

What is this course about?
In this course you will write your own independent, quantitative research paper. This means
you’ll learn to formulate a research question, describe how this question fits with published
research, work with data and statistical software to answer that question, write up the results,
and present your research to the class. We will all work with the same dataset – the National
College Health Assessment (NCHA) data, which surveys college students about topics like
general health and safety, substance use, sexual behavior, nutrition, exercise, mental health,
physical health, and academic performance.

Why is this course important?
This course will help you refine your academic writing skills as you develop an independent
research paper during the term. This process will enhance your ability to interpret and
communicate findings examining the role of social forces on health and illness. It will also
help you become a critical reader of existing scholarly research. The course also serves as an
opportunity to network with other future leaders in health and healthcare as you develop a
sense of teamwork and camaraderie with your classmates.

What is the format of this course?
This course will take place entirely over Zoom. We have two meeting times each week
reserved for synchronous participation. On Tuesdays we will generally have a large group
discussion related to the book we are reading, or information will be presented about how to
write a section of the research paper. On Thursdays we will generally have small group
projects and workdays that will help you as you write your research paper.

Books you will need.
American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campusby sociologist Lisa Wade.
Sex Matters: How Male-Centric Medicine Endangers Women’s Health and What We Can Do About It. The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

Description

In this course, we will examine the interplay between society, health, and happiness, drawing upon findings from a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and economics. Topics include the nature and measurement of happiness, the relationship between health and happiness, the social or collective dimensions of health and happiness, and the relationship between money and individual well-being. Students will also engage with practical lessons from the scientific study of happiness and human flourishing by applying insights from research to their own lives.

Required Texts

The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner

The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky

A Wonderful Life by Frank Martela

Grading Policy

Reading questions (30%)

Quiz (30%)

Happiness project (20%)

Class participation (20%)

In this course you will learn more about the U.S. health care system as it compares to health
care systems in other countries around the world. We will start with a look at what the other
rich countries in the world are doing, including a few countries that are particularly innovative
in their approach to health care. Next, we will spend some time on the Nordic model and the
cultural values that underlie the health care system. The final project in this course is to
design your own health care innovation.

Health care is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries nationally and internationally
and health care reform continues to be a pressing political topic. Health care also something
that affects every person’s future, whether as a future health care provider, other health
expert, or patient.

The first book we will read this semester is The Healing of America: A
Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care by T.R. Reid.
The author, a journalist, details his visits to several industrialized
democracies around the world for a tour of their health care systems.

The second book we will read is The Price We Pay: What Broke
American Health Care – And How to Fix It by Marty Makary, M.D. The
author is a surgeon and health policy expert. He proposes grass-roots
movements and physician-led solutions for solving health care
problems.

The third book we will read is called The Nordic Theory of Everything: In
Search of a Better Life. The author is a Finnish journalist and now
naturalized American citizen. The book describes her entry into
American life and the way life in the U.S. differs from the Nordic model
when it comes to health care, business, education, and more.

The final book we will read is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down:
A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two
Cultures by Anne Fadiman. The book has become a classic for
understanding the need for cultural competency in medical and social
service fields.

Please cconsult with the academic advisor for more information.

Description  

This course provides a look at the economics of health and health care through a sociological lens. In neoclassical economics, rational behavior and market transactions provide an efficient allocation of goods and services. From a sociological perspective, markets are social institutions that are shaped by the cultural, political, and historical environments in which they operate.   This course will examine how the multidimensional nature and distribution of health and health care are shaped by a variety of social and economic factors. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of the power of incentives, markets, and cost-benefit analysis, as well as the limits of these tools, in creating effective health care policy.     The first part of the course will examine how social environment shapes health and health behaviors and how health disparities are viewed from sociological and economic standpoints. The second part of the course will focus on the institutions that regulate access to health care and the historical developments that led to these arrangements.   Topics include:   - Gender, race, and class differences in health - The creation and reproduction of health disparities - Health behavior and externalities - The demand and supply of health care - Moral hazard, adverse selection, and health care insurance - Health insurance and the labor market - Problems of uninsurance - History of health care reform - Comparative health policies.

What is this course about?
This course provides an introduction to the social forces that shape health and illness, both historically and in the present-day United States. What diseases killed people ten thousand years ago? Two hundred years ago? Today? What explains these changes? Why do women live longer than men? Why do African American moms die in childbirth three times as often as white moms? Why has teenage mental health deteriorated over the past decade? Why has the anti-vaccination movement gained steam and how should we address it? Why does American life expectancy rank 29th in the world and why is it falling? By the end of the semester, you will have a better understanding of the complex realities that underlie these phenomena.

Course description
The principle objective of Introduction to Health & Society is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities affect morbidity and mortality rates and determine access to healthcare. How do economic factors, politics, and historical biases against specific populations shape modern-day experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. Finally, we will explore contemporary issues in health and health care and how these issues affect us as individuals and as a society. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings.

Course objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
-Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

-Explain how one’s social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

-Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health, illness, death, and dying in the U.S.

-Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness. 

Please cconsult with the academic advisor for more information.

Course description

In this course, we will examine the interplay between society, health, and happiness, drawing upon findings from a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and economics. Topics include the nature and measurement of happiness, the relationship between health and happiness, the social or collective dimensions of health and happiness, and the relationship between money and individual well- being. Students will also engage with practical lessons from the scientific study of happiness and human flourishing by applying insights from research to their own lives.

 Course objectives

By the end of the course, students will be prepared to answer the following questions:

• What are different ways in which happiness is understood, defined, measured, and studied?
• What does research tell us about the relationships between health, happiness, and money?
• What are the relationships between health, happiness, and social connectedness?
• To what extent can health and happiness be facilitated by society?

 Required books

Buettner, Dan. (2012). The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons From the World’s Happiest People. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.

Partanen, Ann. (2015). The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life. New York: Harper Collins.

 Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned using the scale below.

 Course requirements

 Six short papers (30%)

For each class day, a prompt will be posted on Canvas with some questions related to the readings. Everyone must submit the first paper. Everyone must also submit three papers during the first half of the course (topics covered by the first exam) and three papers during the second half of the course (topics covered by the second exam). Outside of those parameters, you may submit your papers on any topic of your choice. Reading response papers will be graded as 100 (extraordinary), 90 (exceeds expectations), 80 (meets expectations, but with minor problems), 70 (meets minimum expectations, with some problems), or 0 (not worthy of credit). All reading papers are due on Canvas one hour before class begins. 

 Book discussion assignments (20%)

To prepare for our in-class book discussions, you will need to submit an assignment in response to a prompt that will be provided. Book discussion assignments will also be graded as 100 (extraordinary), 90 (exceeds expectations), 80 (meets expectations, but with minor problems), 70 (meets minimum expectations, but with some problems), or 0 (not worthy of credit). The book assignments are due on Canvas one hour before class begins.

 Exams (30%)

There are two exams in this course. The first exam will cover the first half of the topics (1-8). The second half will cover the second half of the topics (9-16). There is no cumulative exam or final exam at the end of the semester.

Happiness project (10%)

To apply course concepts, we will conduct our own happiness projects this semester. They will consist of interventions designed to improve your overall happiness. You are encouraged to work in pairs or small groups. As we will learn this semester, happiness is a group project. More information will be provided early in the semester.

 Presentation (5%)

At the end of the semester, each happiness project will be presented to the class.

 Attendance & participation (5%)

Your grade will be based in part on the quantity and quality of your contributions to class activities and discussions. To earn an A, you should generally plan to attend at least 90% of classes and contribute to each class discussion.   

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

This course will focus on the social antecedents and consequences of mental health and illness with respect to key variables reflecting individuals’ social experiences: gender, race/ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, marital status, and age. We will combine sociological, psychological, epidemiological, and biological approaches to understand how the social aspects of mental health and illness interact with individual processes. At the end of this course you will be able (1) to apply a sociological perspective to mental illness as a social phenomenon, and (2) to understand the social etiology of and social inequality in mental health

Required Texts (the Dean’s Office will not accept “Course Packet” or “TBA”)

Textbook: William C. Cockerham. (2016). Sociology of Mental Disorder, 10/E. Pearson.

Available at UT library as an e-book: https://search.lib.utexas.edu/permalink/01UTAU_INST/apl7st/cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9781317211594

Required articles will be posted on Canvas in advance.

• “Madness Through the Ages”
• “Working class growing pains”
• “Minority Stress and Mental Health in Gay Men”
• “Responses to discrimination and psychiatric disorders among Black, Hispanic, female, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals”

 Grading Policy

Exam 1                                    25%

Exam 2                                    20%

Exam 3                                    15%

Course project                        30%

Participation in Discussions   10%

Extra credit opportunity up to 2%

In this course you will learn more about the U.S. health care system as it compares to health
care systems in other countries around the world. We will start with a look at what the other
rich countries in the world are doing, including a few countries that are particularly innovative
in their approach to health care. Next, we will spend some time on the Nordic model and the
cultural values that underlie the health care system. The final project in this course is to
design your own health care innovation.

Health care is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries nationally and internationally
and health care reform continues to be a pressing political topic. Health care also something
that affects every person’s future, whether as a future health care provider, other health
expert, or patient.

The first book we will read this semester is The Healing of America: A
Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care by T.R. Reid.
The author, a journalist, details his visits to several industrialized
democracies around the world for a tour of their health care systems.

The second book we will read is The Price We Pay: What Broke
American Health Care – And How to Fix It by Marty Makary, M.D. The
author is a surgeon and health policy expert. He proposes grass-roots
movements and physician-led solutions for solving health care
problems.

The third book we will read is called The Nordic Theory of Everything: In
Search of a Better Life. The author is a Finnish journalist and now
naturalized American citizen. The book describes her entry into
American life and the way life in the U.S. differs from the Nordic model
when it comes to health care, business, education, and more.

The final book we will read is The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down:
A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two
Cultures by Anne Fadiman. The book has become a classic for
understanding the need for cultural competency in medical and social
service fields.

Please cconsult with the academic advisor for more information.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will focus on the social antecedents and consequences of mental health and illness with respect to key variables reflecting individuals’ social experiences: gender, race/ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, marital status, and age. We will combine sociological, psychological, epidemiological, and biological approaches to understand how the social aspects of mental health and illness interact with individual processes. At the end of this course you will be able (1) to apply a sociological perspective to mental illness as a social phenomenon, and (2) to understand the social etiology of and social inequality in mental health.

READINGS

Required textbook: William C. Cockerham. (2010). Sociology of Mental Disorder, 9/E. Pearson.

REQUIREMENTS

You will have three exams that will contribute a combined 60% to your final grade. You will also complete a course project that will contribute 30% to your final grade. The project is based on applying theories of mental illness to the movie “The Silver Linings Playbook.”

Attendance is required and will contribute 10% towards your final grade.

GRADING POLICY

Exam 1 25%

Exam 2 20%

Exam 3 15%

Course project 30%

Attendance 10%

Description  

This course provides a look at the economics of health and health care through a sociological lens. In neoclassical economics, rational behavior and market transactions provide an efficient allocation of goods and services. From a sociological perspective, markets are social institutions that are shaped by the cultural, political, and historical environments in which they operate.   This course will examine how the multidimensional nature and distribution of health and health care are shaped by a variety of social and economic factors. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of the power of incentives, markets, and cost-benefit analysis, as well as the limits of these tools, in creating effective health care policy.     The first part of the course will examine how social environment shapes health and health behaviors and how health disparities are viewed from sociological and economic standpoints. The second part of the course will focus on the institutions that regulate access to health care and the historical developments that led to these arrangements.   Topics include:   - Gender, race, and class differences in health - The creation and reproduction of health disparities - Health behavior and externalities - The demand and supply of health care - Moral hazard, adverse selection, and health care insurance - Health insurance and the labor market - Problems of uninsurance - History of health care reform - Comparative health policies.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

Please cconsult with the academic advisor for more information.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

Please check back for updates.

Please cconsult with the academic advisor for more information.

Description  

This course provides a look at the economics of health and health care through a sociological lens. In neoclassical economics, rational behavior and market transactions provide an efficient allocation of goods and services. From a sociological perspective, markets are social institutions that are shaped by the cultural, political, and historical environments in which they operate.   This course will examine how the multidimensional nature and distribution of health and health care are shaped by a variety of social and economic factors. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of the power of incentives, markets, and cost-benefit analysis, as well as the limits of these tools, in creating effective health care policy.     The first part of the course will examine how social environment shapes health and health behaviors and how health disparities are viewed from sociological and economic standpoints. The second part of the course will focus on the institutions that regulate access to health care and the historical developments that led to these arrangements.   Topics include:   - Gender, race, and class differences in health - The creation and reproduction of health disparities - Health behavior and externalities - The demand and supply of health care - Moral hazard, adverse selection, and health care insurance - Health insurance and the labor market - Problems of uninsurance - History of health care reform - Comparative health policies.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

Description:

Description:

Population studies or demography is an interdisciplinary field, incorporating insights from sociology, economics, geography, anthropology, biology, and other disciplines. Fertility, mortality, and migration are the social processes through which populations change and so these are the foundations of demography. Yet understanding these mechanisms of population change requires us to draw on theory and research on political, economic, cultural, and natural forces. 

One goal of this class is to provide students with a basic understanding of human population composition and variation across time and space. Demography has developed useful tools to describe population change and a second goal of this class is to teach students about demographic theory, data, and method.

Grading:

There will be three exams. There will not be a cumulative final.

Be sure to mark your calendar!  No make-up exams except in extreme circumstances.  Make ups may be 100% essay.

Assignments - You will choose 4 of 6 written assignments to complete.

Note: We will not accept late assignments.

Grades are calculated as a weighted average of grades on assignments, papers, and exams. A=93-100; A-90-92; B+=87-89; B=83-86; B-=80-82; C+=77-79; C=73-76; C-70-72; D+=67-69; D=63-66; D-=60-62; F < 60.

Reading Materials

Required text: Demography: The Study of Human Populatin by Lundquist, Anderton, & Yaukey. Waveland Press, Inc.

On-line Readings: There are a number of short reading assignments, marked with an [Readings].

Family life today differs dramatically from that of previous generations. The goal of this course is to understand how changes in American family life occurred and what these changes mean for adults and children in contemporary society. In this course, we will examine trends over time in specific aspects of family life, including marriage, cohabitation, mate selection, divorce, parenthood, family structure, and work-family balance. Students will also gain an understanding of the methods that sociologists and demographers use to study the family. 

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to central topics in the sociology of health and illness. The material covered in this course will encompass individual, institutional and theoretical approaches to health & illness.  The course is designed to provide a critical framework for exploring how social, political, economic and cultural forces shape the understanding and experience of health and illness.  We will explore the following themes: 1) the social production and distribution of disease and illness; 2) the meaning and experience of illness; 3) the social organization of medical care; 4) health politics and health systems.

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course, the student will learn and understand:

Course requirements
Your grade will be determined by three criteria:
1) Three exams 
2) Short writing assignments
3) Class participation 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The principle objective of H S 301/SOC 308S is to offer students a broad overview of health and society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence health and disease in U.S. society, including cultural, economic, and demographic considerations. We will explore why rates of disease vary among different populations and how cultural and structural inequalities shape access to healthcare and affect morbidity and mortality. How do economic factors, politics, public perceptions of morality, and historical biases against specific populations shape our modern-day understandings and experiences of health and illness? We will also examine how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments. We will consider the social consequences of the commodification of healthcare and how new technologies are transforming our current healthcare system and the nature of the patient/physicianrelationship. Our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. This course is built around lectures (including guest lectures), class discussion, and film screenings and discussion.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.

• Explain how social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.

• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.

• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

COURSE MATERIALS

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York:Metropolitan.

Marmot, Michael. 2005. The Status Syndrome: How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity. New York: Holt.

Course readings also include scholarly articles, book chapters, and other required readings available on Canvas.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

This course is organized in a lecture format, but it is greatly enhanced by your participation. For variety’s sake, I will often incorporate short video-clips, group activities, and/or writing exercises in our class session. We will also spend considerable time each week discussing the readings and our own experiences, interests, and knowledge in this area. Please remember that discussions will only be as rich as you all make them, so it is essential that everyone come prepared to speak about the readings thoughtfully and critically. Your final evaluation for the course will be broken down as follows:

Attendance and Preparedness (10%)

Students are expected to attend class, read assignments before each class, and actively participate in classroom discussions during the week. Eight times during the semester the instructor will have students sign in on a class roster or complete a group assignment in the first few minutes of class. Students will be granted one unexcused absence with no penalty. If you have a university-related conflict or medical or family emergency that prevents you from attending class, alert your TA (providing relevant documentation) and you will not be penalized for a particular absence, but you must contact your TA in advance of missing class. NOTE: Tardiness will adversely affect your grade; students who arrive late risk missing this activity or sign-in sheet and will not be allowed to receive credit for the day.

Reading responses (10%)

Students are expected to keep up with the reading for the class. Six times during the course of the semester, I will pose a reading question on the course Canvas page relevant to recent reading. The questions will be posted on Sunday evening and students are expected to write a reading response of one page, double-spaced (between 250 and 350 words) and upload a copy to the Canvas page by 5pm on the Thursday that they are due. Responses will be graded as meets/exceeds expectations (100), meets minimum expectations (70), no credit (0). See course schedule for Reading Responses (marked RR).

Exams (60%)

Two exams (worth 30% each) will be given to assess your level of mastery of the course material, including assigned readings, lectures (including guest lectures), and in-class films and other media presentations. . Both exams will be a combination of multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-theblank, short answer, or short essay items.

Essay (20%)

Students are required to write one of two essay assignments offered during the term. The paper will be approximately 5 pages in length (not to exceed 6 double-spaced pages), and will answer a specific prompt related to course topics. Specific assignments will be posted to Canvas on the dates indicated below. Papers are due in class; electronic submissions of papers will NOT be  accepted. Due dates are firm. Five points will be deducted each day the paper is late, but papers will not be accepted if they are more than five days late. Late papers cannot be emailed or posted to Canvas, so it a student’s responsibility to submit a hard copy of his/her paper to the appropriate TA.

Welcome to HS 301/SOC 308S! The principle objective of this course is to offer students a broad overview of health and illness in society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. We will examine how social forces influence patterns of health and disease in U.S. society, considering how economic, political and structural factors shape morbidity and mortality rates, and public health policy in the U.S. We will also explore how ingrained cultural beliefs, such as racial/ethnic and gendered biases, among others, shape public perceptions of morality and public health policies. Finally, we will explore how social forces shape the very definitions of health, illness, and disease categories, and thereby medical diagnoses and treatments, and the experience of illness in U.S. society. To this end, our course readings and discussions will help us address current bioethical controversies that continue to influence our beliefs about health and illness and shape our very understandings about human rights and personhood. Our journey this term will be rigorous, but exciting! By the end of the semester you will be able to confidently recognize and analyze all of the social forces that shape health and illness in U.S. society.

For those students pursing the Health and Society major in the College of Liberal Arts, this course is required. For others, this course can be used to fulfill the social and behavioral sciences component of the university core curriculum and addresses the following four core objectives established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: communication skills, critical thinking skills, empirical and quantitative skills, and social responsibility. This course also carries a cultural diversity flag.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

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

• Analyze contemporary health issues from a variety of disciplinary and professional perspectives.
• Explain how one’s social location, the media, and economic forces shape health behaviors and outcomes.
• Explain how social and cultural factors shape contemporary understandings and experiences of health and illness and death and dying in the U.S.
• Critically evaluate the assumptions, motives, and evidence that individuals and groups use to make specific claims about health and illness.

READINGS AND OTHER COURSE MATERIALS

Course readings consist of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, timely news articles, blog posts, and other social media posts related to health and illness. Unless otherwise indicated, these are all available on Canvas, under the Files tab, organized in folders by class day. Please read and watch all assigned course materials before arriving to class any given day. Most readings are listed below and 3 posted on Canvas early in the term, but I am likely to add additional short, newsworthy articles on health and illness that occur during the term. You’ll also find that I have assigned several TED Talks and other online videos too. Finally, near the end of the semester we’ll read one book that you are responsible for purchasing or borrowing from the library—any edition is fine. It is listed below.

Gawande, Atul. 2014. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. New York: Metropolitan.

GRADING AND EVALUATION OVERVIEW

Your final course grade will be calculated as follows:

• Squarecap responses = 10%
• Exam #1 = 25%
• Exam #2 = 25%
• Exam #3 = 25%
• Reading Responses = 15%

Total 100%

Description  

This course provides a look at the economics of health and health care through a sociological lens. In neoclassical economics, rational behavior and market transactions provide an efficient allocation of goods and services. From a sociological perspective, markets are social institutions that are shaped by the cultural, political, and historical environments in which they operate.   This course will examine how the multidimensional nature and distribution of health and health care are shaped by a variety of social and economic factors. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of the power of incentives, markets, and cost-benefit analysis, as well as the limits of these tools, in creating effective health care policy.     The first part of the course will examine how social environment shapes health and health behaviors and how health disparities are viewed from sociological and economic standpoints. The second part of the course will focus on the institutions that regulate access to health care and the historical developments that led to these arrangements.   Topics include:   - Gender, race, and class differences in health - The creation and reproduction of health disparities - Health behavior and externalities - The demand and supply of health care - Moral hazard, adverse selection, and health care insurance - Health insurance and the labor market - Problems of uninsurance - History of health care reform - Comparative health policies.

Description:

Course description

Family life today differs dramatically from that of previous generations. The goal of this course is to understand how changes in American family life occurred and what these changes mean for adults and children in contemporary society. In this course, we will examine trends over time in specific aspects of family life, including marriage, cohabitation, mate selection, divorce, parenthood, family structure, and work-family balance. Students will also gain an understanding of the methods that sociologists and demographers use to study the family.

Required reading

There is no textbook for this course. Instead, the readings come from articles posted on Canvas for each topic. I will post two or three readings per topic – typically one article from a peer-reviewed academic journal and one or two from a newspaper or magazine. You should read all of the articles.

Attendance

Class discussions are an important component of your learning. As such, attendance and participation are critical to the success of this course. Students are expected to attend class daily and attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. Each student may miss up to 4 days of class without penalty. This allows you to attend to any conflicts that may arise during the semester, including illness, travel, court appearances, doctor’s appointments, oversleeping, etc. Missing more than 4 days of class will result in a failing grade (F). Exam review days are optional.

Course requirements

There are five primary course requirements:

1. Reading response papers (50%)

After you have finished the readings for each week, compose a 500-1000 word reading response paper. In the first half of the paper, briefly summarize the main point(s) of each article. In the second half of the paper, offer some discussion. For example: What did you find interesting or surprising? What do you think of the author’s arguments? If the reading discusses a problem, what do you see as a solution?

A total of seven response papers is due over the course of the 21 topics we will cover this semester. You may choose the topics you write and do not write papers about, but I highly recommend that you turn in your first paper early in the semester. Papers are due at the beginning of class on the date listed on the course calendar. Papers turned in after the class discussion will receive half credit.

2. Group presentation (5%)

Five topics will be covered student group presentations, rather than by theinstructor. A sign up sheet will be passed around early in the semester so that you can sign up for a topic.

3. Family interview assignment draft (5%)

For this assignment, you will interview a family member or another individual over the age of 65. The purpose of the interview is to get another generation’s perspective on family life. You should plan to turn in a 4-5 page paper. More details will be provided later in the semester.

4. Family interview assignment final paper (10%)

A final copy of the paper is due at the end of the semester.

5. Exam 1 (15%)

The first exam will cover the topics from the first half of the semester.

6. Exam 2 (15%)

The second exam will cover the topics from the second half of the semester.

Participation

There is no official participation grade, but at the end of the semester I will consider bumping final grades by one third of a grade (e.g., from an A- to an A, or a B to a B+) for a few students who contributed regularly and thoughtfully to class discussions and demonstrated that they had read the assigned articles.

Extra credit

No extra credit assignments will be offered. However, if you would like to improve your grade on the reading response papers, you may write additional papers to replace grades that you feel need improvement.

Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned as follows:

A 93-100 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66

A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 D- 60-62

B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 F 59 or below

Description:

This course explores the family as a social institution in American society. The primary goal of this class is to encourage students to step beyond their personal experiences and cultivate a more sociological and analytical approach to the family.  By the end of the term, students will be able understand the cultural and structural forces that shape family life, and how these dimensions can shift, but also resist change over time. We will begin with a historical overview of the family where we will contextualize and challenge nostalgic depictions of the family in popular culture.  Throughout the term we will chart multiple dimensions of family life, including dating, cohabitation, marriage, parenting, childhood, and divorce, and changing ideas of the American family, to name a few.  We will adopt a sociological perspective, considering how gender, race, class, sexuality, and other social factors shape family relationships and family life.  We will also consider alternate family structures that were once dismissed as deviant (e.g. having children outside marriage and gay marriage) but are increasingly common and continue to shape public policy in the 21st century.  This course carries a writing flag designation and so also seeks to develop students’ writing skills throughout the term.

Texts:                         

TBA

Grades:           

Two Papers 45%

Journal Writing Assignments  20%

Peer Reviews   5%

Attendance and Participation  20%

Group Presentation on a topic about the Family 10%

Description

American family life today differs dramatically from that of previous generations. The goal of this course is to understand how changes in American family life occurred and what these changes mean for adults and children in contemporary society. In this course, we will examine trends over time in specific aspects of family life, including marriage, cohabitation, mate selection, divorce, parenthood, family structure, and work-family balance. Students will also gain an understanding of the methods that sociologists and demographers use to study the family. 

Course description

American family life today differs dramatically from that of previous generations. The goal of this course is to understand how changes in American family life occurred and what these changes mean for adults and children in contemporary society. In this course, we will examine trends over time in specific aspects of family life, including marriage, cohabitation, mate selection, divorce, parenthood, family structure, and work-family balance. Students will also gain an understanding of the methods that sociologists and demographers use to study the family.

Required reading

There is no textbook for this course. Instead, the reading comes from articles posted on Blackboard for each topic. I will post two or three readings per topic – typically one article from a peer-reviewed academic journal and one or two from a newspaper or magazine. You should read all articles.

Course requirements

1. Reading response papers (50%)

After you have finished the readings for each week, compose a 400-800 word reading response paper. In the first half of the paper, briefly summarize the main point(s) of each article. In the second half of the paper, offer some discussion. For example: What did you find interesting or surprising? What do you think of the author’s arguments? How do the readings relate to each other? If the reading discusses a problem, what do you see as a solution? A total of six response papers is due over the course of the fifteen topics we will cover this semester. You may choose the weeks that you write and do not write papers, but you must turn in at least two papers before spring break. Papers are due at the beginning of class on the date listed on the course calendar. Because we will discuss the papers during class, late papers will not be accepted.

2. Group presentation (10%)

Some topics will be covered by an in-class presentation instead of or in addition to a lecture/discussion. The presentations will be done in groups of three students vs. three students.

3. Family interview assignment (10%)

For this assignment, you will interview a family member or another individual over the age of 65. The purpose of the interview is to get another generation’s perspective on family life. You should plan to turn in a 4-5 page paper. More details will be provided later in the semester.

4. Exam 1 (15%)

The first exam will cover the topics from the first half of the semester.

5. Exam 2 (15%)

The second exam will cover the topics from the second half of the semester. 

Description:

Is dating dead? Is cohabitation a good idea? Are divorce rates on the rise? Why are there so many single parent families? What does same sex marriage mean for the future of marriage? In this course, we examine recent trends in family life from a sociological perspective. The goal of this course is to understand how diverse family forms came to exist and what these changes mean for adults and children in contemporary society. We will examine recent trends in several aspects of family life, including dating & courtship, cohabitation, marriage, divorce, parenthood, family structure, and work-family balance. Students will also gain an understanding of the methods that sociologists and demographers use to study the family.

Required Texts:

Academic and non-academic articles posted on Blackboard. Selections include:

 Martin King Whyte. 1992.  “Choosing Mates – The American Way.” Society.

Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. 2000. “Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development From the Late Teens Through the Twenties.” American Psychologist.

Andrew Cherlin. 2004. “The Deinstitutionalization of American Marriage.” Journal of Marriage and Family.

Linda Waite. 1995. “Does Marriage Matter?” Demography.

Steven Nock. 2005. “Marriage as a Public Issue.” The Future of Children.

Peter McDonald. 2006. “Low Fertility and the State: The Efficacy of Policy.” Population and Development Review.

Suzanne Bianchi, Melissa Milkie, Liana Sayer, & John Robinson. 2000. “Is Anyone Doing the Housework? Trends in the Gender Division of Household Labor.” Social Forces.

 Brad Wilcox. 2009.“The Evolution of Divorce.” National Affairs.

Jeremy Travis, Elizabeth Cincotta McBride, & Amy Solomon. 2005. “Families Left Behind: The Hidden Cost of Incarceration and Reentry.” Urban Institute (Justice Policy Center).

Grading Policy:

Reading response papers (60%)

Family interview assignment (20%)

Final exam (20%)

Final letter grades will be assigned as follows:

A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-87), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72),

D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (59 or below) 

Description:

Is dating dead? Is cohabitation a good idea? Are divorce rates on the rise? Why are there so many single parent families? What does same sex marriage mean for the future of marriage? In this course, we examine recent trends in family life from a sociological perspective. The goal of this course is to understand how diverse family forms came to exist and what these changes mean for adults and children in contemporary society. We will examine recent trends in several aspects of family life, including dating & courtship, cohabitation, marriage, divorce, parenthood, family structure, and work-family balance. Students will also gain an understanding of the methods that sociologists and demographers use to study the family.

Required Texts:

 Academic and non-academic articles posted on Blackboard. Selections include:

 Martin King Whyte. 1992.  “Choosing Mates – The American Way.” Society.

 Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. 2000. “Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development From the Late Teens Through the Twenties.” American Psychologist.

 Andrew Cherlin. 2004. “The Deinstitutionalization of American Marriage.” Journal of Marriage and Family.

 Linda Waite. 1995. “Does Marriage Matter?” Demography.

 Steven Nock. 2005. “Marriage as a Public Issue.” The Future of Children.

 Peter McDonald. 2006. “Low Fertility and the State: The Efficacy of Policy.” Population and Development Review.

 Suzanne Bianchi, Melissa Milkie, Liana Sayer, & John Robinson. 2000. “Is Anyone Doing the Housework? Trends in the Gender Division of Household Labor.” Social Forces.

 Brad Wilcox. 2009.“The Evolution of Divorce.” National Affairs.

 Jeremy Travis, Elizabeth Cincotta McBride, & Amy Solomon. 2005. “Families Left Behind: The Hidden Cost of Incarceration and Reentry.” Urban Institute (Justice Policy Center).

 Grading Policy:

 Reading response papers (60%)

Family interview assignment (20%)

Final exam (20%)

 Final letter grades will be assigned as follows:

A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-87), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72),

D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (59 or below) 

Course Description

An introduction to spoken and written Swedish with an emphasis on active communication, this course will cover basic grammar and vocabulary. By the end of the semester you should be able to read short texts with some ease and to carry on a conversation about an everyday subject with a native speaker. Since Swedish is very similar to English, you'll probably be able to say and understand more than you think you will before you begin to study it! Graded readings in Swedish will also introduce you to aspects of Swedish and Scandinavian culture, and we’ll also view some recent Swedish films—for fun and practice understanding spoken Swedish. Swedish 604 is the first part of a two-semester accelerated course which satisfies the undergraduate language requirement in one year. The first semester covers the basics of Swedish grammar and vocabulary. In the second, students read a variety of texts on literary and cultural issues and respond to them in weekly essays in Swedish.

Grading Policy

Attendance and class participation: 30%

Weekly quizzes: 30%

Weekly compositions: 30%

Examination: 10%

Course Description

German 506, a first semester German course, assumes no prior knowledge of German. (Note: If you have prior knowledge of German, you must take a placement test before taking classes at UT.) German 506 introduces students to the language and culture of the modern German-speaking world. Every effort is made to present opportunities to use the language: for self-expression in everyday situations, for basic survival needs in German-speaking language communities, and for personal enjoyment. To this aim, lessons center on linguistic, communicative, and cultural goals.

The functional communicative approach that we take in this course—and in the larger German program at UT—focuses on learning to use basic German language forms, i.e., grammar and vocabulary, in meaningful contexts in a variety of real-life situations and across spoken and written genres. To help students develop their ability to communicate effectively in German, they are expected to come prepared for class, use German, and actively participate in pair and group activities. Students should expect to spend two hours studying for each class period in order to keep up with the pace of the class. 

Required Texts:

1. Course textbook: Christine Anton, Tobias Barske, Jane Grabowski, & Megan McKinstry (2016). Sag mal. An Introduction to German Language and Culture. Second Edition. Vista Higher Learning.
2. Sag mal Basic Supersite
3. Sag mal WebSAM (Student Activities Manual)

Grading Policy

Students’ progress in the class will be assessed during the semester across the following categories:

1  Class participation assessed weekly (10%)

2  Homework (15%)

3  Short writing tasks with multiple drafts (15%)

4  Chapter tests (25%)

5  Structured reflections on learning experiences (5%)

6  Regular quizzes (10%)

7  Short collaborative video project (10%)

8  Final oral exam done in pairs (10%)

Opportunities for extra credit are available. There are no incompletes given in German 506. A grade of C or better is required to enroll in German 507 (i.e., a C- is not a passing grade).

Course Description

German 507, a second-semester German course, continues instruction begun in German 506. (Note: If you have prior knowledge of German and did not take GER 506, you must take a placement test before taking classes at UT.) By the end of German 507, students will be familiar with most basic structures of the German language and will have developed basic cultural knowledge about the German-speaking world. As vocabulary and grammar sophistication grow, students will become increasingly proficient at expressing their thoughts, feelings, and opinions on a variety of subjects related to everyday life. To this aim, each lesson centers on linguistic, communicative and cultural goals.

The functional communicative approach that we take in this course—and in the larger German program at UT—focuses on learning to use basic German language forms, i.e., grammar and vocabulary, in meaningful contexts in a variety of real-life situations and across spoken and written genres. To help students develop their ability to communicate effectively in German, they are expected to come prepared for class, use German, and actively participate in pair and group activities. Students should expect to spend two hours studying for each class period in order to keep up with the pace of the class.

Required Texts:

1. Course textbook: Christine Anton, Tobias Barske, Jane Grabowski, & Megan McKinstry (2016). Sag mal. An Introduction to German Language and Culture. Second Edition. Vista Higher Learning.
2. Sag mal Basic Supersite
3. Sag mal WebSAM (Student Activities Manual)

Grading Policy

Students’ progress in the class will be assessed during the semester across the following categories:

1      Class participation assessed weekly (10%)

2      Homework (20%)

3      Short writing tasks with multiple drafts (15%)

4      Chapter tests (30%)

5      Regular quizzes (10%)

6      Reading journals (5%)

7      Final oral exam done in pairs (10%)

There are no incompletes given in German 507. A grade of C or better is required to enroll in German 612 (i.e., a C- is not a passing grade).

Course Description:

This is an intermediate course in Swedish language that emphasizes oral and written Swedish. Graded readings will introduce you to various aspects of Swedish and Scandinavian literature and culture, and we will continue to review and refine your knowledge of Swedish grammar. We will also see and discuss a number of Swedish films. Completion of this course satisfies the four-semester language requirement in many programs at UT.

Grading Policy:

Weekly compositions (35%) and quizzes (35%), one hour examination (10%), and class participation (20%).

Texts:

Nybörjarsvenska (Blue text) Nybörjarsvenska (Yellow workbook) Nybörjarsvenska (facit ? answer key) Nya Mål 3 (textbook and workbook) Prisma's Swedish-English Dictionary Prisma?s English-Swedish Dictionary

Course Description

An introduction to spoken and written Swedish with an emphasis on active communication, this course will cover basic grammar and vocabulary. By the end of the semester you should be able to read short texts with some ease and to carry on a conversation about an everyday subject with a native speaker. Since Swedish is very similar to English, you'll probably be able to say and understand more than you think you will before you begin to study it! Graded readings in Swedish will also introduce you to aspects of Swedish and Scandinavian culture, and we’ll also view some recent Swedish films—for fun and practice understanding spoken Swedish. Swedish 604 is the first part of a two-semester accelerated course which satisfies the undergraduate language requirement in one year. The first semester covers the basics of Swedish grammar and vocabulary. In the second, students read a variety of texts on literary and cultural issues and respond to them in weekly essays in Swedish.

Grading Policy

Attendance and class participation: 30%

Weekly quizzes: 30%

Weekly compositions: 30%

Examination: 10%

Course Description:

This is an intermediate course in Swedish language that emphasizes oral and written Swedish. Graded readings will introduce you to various aspects of Swedish and Scandinavian literature and culture, and we will continue to review and refine your knowledge of Swedish grammar. We will also see and discuss a number of Swedish films. Completion of this course satisfies the four-semester language requirement in many programs at UT.

Grading Policy:

Weekly compositions (35%) and quizzes (35%), one hour examination (10%), and class participation (20%).

Texts:

Nybörjarsvenska (Blue text) Nybörjarsvenska (Yellow workbook) Nybörjarsvenska (facit ? answer key) Nya Mål 3 (textbook and workbook) Prisma's Swedish-English Dictionary Prisma?s English-Swedish Dictionary

Course Description

German 506, a first semester German course, assumes no prior knowledge of German. (Note: If you have prior knowledge of German, you must take a placement test before taking classes at UT.) German 506 introduces students to the language and culture of the modern German-speaking world. Every effort is made to present opportunities to use the language: for self-expression in everyday situations, for basic survival needs in German-speaking language communities, and for personal enjoyment. To this aim, lessons center on linguistic, communicative, and cultural goals.

The functional communicative approach that we take in this course—and in the larger German program at UT—focuses on learning to use basic German language forms, i.e., grammar and vocabulary, in meaningful contexts in a variety of real-life situations and across spoken and written genres. To help students develop their ability to communicate effectively in German, they are expected to come prepared for class, use German, and actively participate in pair and group activities. Students should expect to spend two hours studying for each class period in order to keep up with the pace of the class. 

Required Texts:

1. Course textbook: Christine Anton, Tobias Barske, Jane Grabowski, & Megan McKinstry (2016). Sag mal. An Introduction to German Language and Culture. Second Edition. Vista Higher Learning.
2. Sag mal Basic Supersite
3. Sag mal WebSAM (Student Activities Manual)

Grading Policy

Students’ progress in the class will be assessed during the semester across the following categories:

1  Class participation assessed weekly (10%)

2  Homework (15%)

3  Short writing tasks with multiple drafts (15%)

4  Chapter tests (25%)

5  Structured reflections on learning experiences (5%)

6  Regular quizzes (10%)

7  Short collaborative video project (10%)

8  Final oral exam done in pairs (10%)

Opportunities for extra credit are available. There are no incompletes given in German 506. A grade of C or better is required to enroll in German 507 (i.e., a C- is not a passing grade).