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This course analyses major political issues and policy challenges in the areas of global health, bio-medicine and the life sciences industry. Specific issues will include the politics of infectious diseases, food security, human ‘enhancement,’ and the implications of disruptive technologies for medicine, human reproduction, and life extension . Cases will be drawn from North America, Australasia and Africa.
This course focuses on key issues emerging at the intersection of biotechnology/medicine, public policy and markets. It begins with an historical overview of the 20th century progressive and eugenic movements and then analyzes contemporary health policy issues and politics from multiple perspectives. Major issues addressed in the course include drug markets and regulation, cognitive and human enhancement, infectious disease epidemics, agricultural technology, indigenous perspectives on biotechnology, and possible (technological) futures for death and extinction in a post-genomic era. Basic life science and health concepts will be introduced when necessary, but a scientific background is not required to take this course since our focus is on society, policy and politics. Students also gain experience with major concepts in policy analysis and approaches to public policy foresight and futures studies.Major questions that we will consider include: 1) When and why did health become a political issue subject to Government intervention? 2) What are the ethical and public policy consequences of politicizing the human body?3) How do categories and identities such as “autistic” or “schizophrenic” emerge and become standardized ways of classifying people?4) Should the State regulate reproductive or enhancement decisions? 5) Should there be any limits to the Government’s coercive power during a health crisis?6) How is health distributed around the world as a consequence of history, class, ethnicity and other variables?7) Is the category “human” due for an upgrade?
30 points in POLS at 200 level; Or POLS206 and one of HLTH201/202/213. Students without 30 points at 200 level in POLS but with at least a B average in 75 points in appropriate courses may be admitted with the approval of the Head of Department.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences Head of Department
Most course readings available on Learn, via the Library or the hyperlinks provided in the syllabus
Domestic fee $1,523.00
International fee $6,375.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .