Anthropology 273 - People&Pathogens: Disease Eco

We live in a time of emerging infectious diseases as well as the resurgence of old ones. This growing disease burden can be linked to human activities, such as deforestation, inappropriate use of antibiotics, limited knowledge of cultural practices, and a lack of resources necessary for prevention measures. This course explores disease using a bio-cultural perspective, emphasizing the importance of human actions to understand diseases and the specific ecological, political, and social contexts in which they occur. We will examine how changing cultural, historical, and environmental processes shape (and are shaped by) patterns of disease and will pay particular attention to the way human activities modify ecosystems and create new environments. (Gen. Ed. SI, DG)