SCY3050 - Health, Technologies and Society

Leader: Mark Davis

Offered

Clayton First semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

Health, Technologies & Society critically addresses the social impacts of recent developments in health-related technologies. Students will be introduced to the area through a brief historical overview of the role that technologies have played in health and medicine. The unit features case studies such as genetic testing, drug treatment and technologically intensive public health interventions. The unit is taught in three blocks: governing and accessing innovative health technologies; identity and the biomedical imaginary; technology users, expertise and health care.

Objectives

Students completing this unit will be able to:

1. identify and describe the key ways in which new health technologies impact on individuals and populations;
2. explain the social and cultural aspects of health technologies;
3. critically examine the contribution of various theoretical perspectives regarding the social impacts of health technologies;
4. apply critical and theoretical arguments to the social aspects of health technologies.

Assessment

In-class test (2 hrs): 45%; Research essay (2500 words): 55%

Contact hours

1 one-hour lecture and 1 one-hour seminar per week

Prerequisites

A first-year sequence in Sociology or permission

Prohibitions

SCY2050