This course seeks to reframe public health narratives about “developing” nations and disadvantaged communities by looking at the roots of that disadvantage, and by examining health from the perspective of the colonized. It explores how colonial ideals perpetuate structural violence on bodies and cultures and it challenges paradigmatic thinking about biomedicine and public health. It will analyze current issues in public health--such as healthcare disparities due to sexuality, gender, and race-- in an effort to demonstrate how public health and western/ colonial ideologies intersect and enact violence. The ultimate goal of this course is to decolonize the field; by looking at public health as both creating and being created by structures of power, this course aims to recapture current conversations surrounding global health and make the field better-serving for all.
This course is pass/ no pass, so everything will be graded on a satisfactory completion basis. If your completion of an assignment or your participation in coursework is unsatisfactory, we will reach out to you to arrange makeup opportunities and/ or to brainstorm strategies so that you may succeed in the course.
-Critical Reading Responses: 10% each (totaling 40%)
-Final Presentation: 35%
-Discussion Facilitation: 25%
There are multiple assignments for this course: 4 short reading responses (1-2 page analytical papers), a discussion facilitation where students can bring a topic of their interest to discuss with the class, and a final presentation on a case study of students' choice.
As this class is heavily participatory, attendance is mandatory. Students may not miss more than two classes-- if they miss more than two classes, they will be at risk of not passing this DeCal. In the event of a special circumstance or emergency, students can email the course facilitators at decolonizingph@gmail.com within three days of the missed class in order to arrange a makeup opportunity.
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