HISTORY 725A/B : Health, Medicine and Society

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) / Semester Two (1245) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Health and medicine within the context of the society of which they are part, with a special emphasis on New Zealand from 1840 to the present day. Various public health topics will be investigated including mental health, infant health and maternity, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and the politics of health care.

Course Overview

Life and death, health and disease, form an integral part of human experience. The ways in which a society defines and copes with health problems reveal much about the nature of that society. In this course we will be discussing crucial health issues of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, preventive and curative approaches to those issues, and public responses. A primary focus will be the impact of modern medicine. The goal of the course is to increase our understanding of past and present societies, particularly Aotearoa New Zealand. This is a study in social and cultural history, increasing understanding of diversity, different knowledge systems and transdisciplinary perspectives.
This course will begin with an introduction to historiography, research and major themes within the history of health and medicine. Then selected topics within Aotearoa New Zealand history of health and medicine will be explored, drawing on specified primary source readings. Coursework will include a book review, a short oral history project, and students will undertake a research project on a health issue of his or her choice using primary source evidence. To frame their research topic, they will also be required to write a short historiographic essay. The course will be highly interactive, with students participating in groups readings and reporting to the class on their research.

Course Requirements

Restriction: HISTORY 702 To complete this course students must enrol in HISTORY 725 A and B

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of of the broad outlines of the social history of medicine in New Zealand through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in its political, social and scientific context, being mindful of the significance of people and place, different knowledge systems and transdisciplinary perspectives. (Capability 1 and 3)
  2. Develop capabilities in critical thinking and communication through organizing and writing assignments that include coherent arguments, supporting evidence, and engagement with academic literature. (Capability 4, 5 and 6)
  3. Identify a variety of viewpoints of different historical groups in order to gain an appreciation of diversity and cultural differences. (Capability 1 and 3)
  4. Demonstrate ability to engage in scholarly debate and communicate effectively on historical issues in small group discussions (Capability 3, 6 and 7)
  5. Develop skills of independent learning, flexibility and self-reflection, recognising the significance of mātauranga Māori, kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi and their context in Te Moananui-ā-Kiwa and the world. (Capability 1)
  6. Demonstrate ability to define a problem and through research reach an understanding of that problem in its broader context and in recognition of the complexity of our humanity. (Capability 1 and 3)
  7. Recognise and understand their responsibilities to contribute to the protection of the natural environment, communities and economies. (Capability 2 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Research 50% Individual Coursework
Reports 10% Individual Coursework
Reports 10% Individual Coursework
Essay 20% Individual Coursework
Tutorials 10% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course spanning two semesters, and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course (one semester) that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of class contact per week, 10 hours of reading and thinking about the content and work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including class discussions to complete the course.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

More secondary reading during the first half of the course - I will be allocating new resources for this in Canvas.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 26/10/2023 01:46 p.m.