Foundations of Global Health I
Full course description
This course provides students with essential tools for critically assessing global health policy. In the critical approach of policy analysis we use in Foundations 1 we focus on the first phase in the policy cycle: defining the problem. Policy addresses problems, but problems are never given neither can they be neutrally defined. Students are asked to analyze how the health problem in a specific policy documents are defined and have to identify the (implicit) normative choices that have been made in the policies. More specifically, they are asked to compare a national, and international and a NGO policy on the same health related topic and reflect upon the normative choices that are made in the polices and the consequences that has for the way responsibilities, benefits and cost are distributed.
Students participate in the course together with students form McMaster University in Canada, Thamassat University in Thailand and Manipal University in India. The course is online and students work in groups of 6 with participants of at least 2 universities. The educational format is project work, meaning that groups are self-directing. A tutor can be consulted on request. To facilitate the group process and prepare students on their future international careers, a training ‘working in an international context’ is integrated in the course. The process is divided in steps. Each step consists of a lecture and an assignment. These assignments are applied to the existing policy documents that is assigned to the group. The draft answers of the assignments questions must be integrated in the final group paper to be handed in at the end of the course. Furthermore, students have to write an individual reflection on the development of their skills and professionalism in working in an international context.
Course objectives
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To be able to conduct a policy analysis and identify and critically appraise the way the problem is framed in real life policies or policy proposals.
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To be able to critically appraise the implications of the problem definition (framing of the problem) for the distribution of responsibility and accountability.
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To become knowledgeable about current global issues.
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To be able to identify global actors of major health issues and be aware of the context in which they operate.
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To be able to critically appraise (global) health policies at various levels, integrating knowledge from diverse disciplines including health, business and the social sciences.
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To be able to communicate the results of a global health issue concisely and effectively
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To develop and demonstrate an attitude of professionalism and critical self-awareness within the context of global health teamwork.
Recommended reading
- Bacchi, C. (2009). Analysing Policy: What’s the problem represented to be? Pearson: French Forest. Benatar, S. & Upshur, R. (2011) What is global health? In: Benatar, S. & Brock, G. (eds.) Global Health and Global Ethics. Cambridge University Press. Pg. 13-23. - Biehl, J. & Petryna, A. (2013) Critical Global Health. In: Biehl, J. & Petryna, A. (eds.) When people come first: Critical studies in Global Health. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Pg. 1-20. - Bridget, H. & Kleinman, A. (2013) Unpacking Global Health; theory and critique. In: Farmer, P. Kim, J.Y., Kleinman, A. & Basilico, M. (eds.) Reimagining global health; An introduction. University of California press. - Fisher, F. (2003) Reframing Public Policy; Discursive politics and deliberative practices. Oxford university press. Chapter 3. Pg.. 48-69. - Brown, T., Craddock, S. & Ingram, A. (2012) Critical Interventions in Global Health; Governmentality, Risk, and Assemblages, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 102 (5), 1182-1189. - Basilico, M., Weigel, J., Motgi, A. Bor, J. & Keshavjee, S. (2013) Health for All?; competing theories and geopolitics. In: Farmer, P. Kim, J.Y., Kleinman, A. & Basilico, M. (eds.) Reimagining global health; An introduction. University of California press. - Global Health Watch 4: An Alternative World Health Report. 2014. Chapter A1. The health crisis of neoliberal globalization.