Course: Biomedical Anthropology

« Back
Course title Biomedical Anthropology
Course code KSA/BANT
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Tutorial
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Pankowská Anna, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. Introduction to the study. a) Focus of interest. Health and disease as critical concepts in anthropology. b) Significance of biomedical anthropology for social sciences. c) Studying health, disease, and healing from biocultural perspective. Evolutionary, historical, political, and economic approaches and problems faced when defining 'health' and 'disease'. Human health and disease, health care systems, age, sex, inequality and biocultural adaptation. 2. Contexts and conditions. a. Growth and development. Unbalanced growth in biocultural perspective. Stunted growth, reduced growth rate, risk of illness and premature death, delayed mental function and decreased productivity in economic system. b. Humans in the world of microbes: The Anthropology of infectious disease. Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases threaten all countries. Globalization of infectious diseases, Impact of migration. c. Diet and nutrition, access to resources and availability of nutrition. Famines as an economic and cultural phenomenon in the past. The biocultural, environmental and health impact of industrialisation. Recent growing diabetes epidemic and its economic impact in low- and middle-income communities. d. Health care. The history of care, care in traditional societies. Medical treatment and cure. The role of pharmacy in recent medical system. Theory and practice of the 'bioarchaeology of care'. 3. Ethnobiomedicine and ethnobioarchaeology. e. Introduction to the study (field's definition), methods and application. Relationship and connection between theory, experiment and retrospective disciplines. f. The ecology of disease and health, political violence, war, culture and the stress in ethnobioarchaeology and ethnobiomedicine.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Students' portfolio, One-to-One tutorial, Skills demonstration, Self-study of literature, Textual studies, Lecture, Practicum
  • Contact hours - 39 hours per semester
  • Preparation for comprehensive test (10-40) - 39 hours per semester
prerequisite
Knowledge
ovládat obecné znalosti studia antropologie a znalosti dějin antropologie
Skills
rozumět a kriticky posoudit odborný text v českém jazyce
rozumět a kriticky posoudit odborný text v anglickém jazyce
formálně prezentovat výzkumy
vést odborné debaty
learning outcomes
Knowledge
charakterizovat a vysvětlit metody a přístupy biomedicínské antropologie
charakterizovat a popsat historický vývoj biomedicínské antropologie a hlavní myšlenkové trendy a aplikovatelnost oboru
Skills
kriticky reflektuje prameny a literaturu, se kterou pracuje
detailně rozebrat konkrétní téma z biomedicínské antropologie
prezentovat a kriticky zhodnotit teoretické předpoklady a příklad aplikace
teaching methods
Knowledge
Lecture
Textual studies
Self-study of literature
One-to-One tutorial
Skills
Practicum
One-to-One tutorial
Skills demonstration
Students' portfolio
Self-study of literature
Textual studies
assessment methods
Knowledge
Written exam
Test
Skills
Test
Skills demonstration during practicum
Group presentation at a seminar
Recommended literature
  • Bártlová, Sylva. Sociologie medicíny a zdravotnictví. Praha : Grada Publishing, 2005. ISBN 80-247-1197-4.
  • Diamond J. Svět, který skončil včera: Co se můžeme naučit od tradičních společností? Jan Melvil. 2012.
  • Ember, C. R. Encyclopedia of Medical Anthropology: Health and Illness in the World's Cultures Topics. Springer, 2003.
  • Harrod RP. Ethnobioarchaeology. New Directions in Bioarchaeology, Special Forum. The SAA Archaeological Record 12(2):32-4. 2012.
  • Lebl, Jan. Růst dětí a jeho poruchy. 1. vyd. Praha : Galén, 1996. ISBN 80-85824-30-2.
  • Lock M, Nguyen VK. An Anthropology of Biomedicine. Oxford Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
  • Marmot, M. G.,; Wilkinson, Richard G. Social determinants of health. 2006. ISBN 978-0-19-856589-5.
  • PTÁČEK, Radek a Petr BARTŮNĚK. Etické problémy medicíny na prahu 21. století.
  • Ptáček, Radek; Bartůněk, Petr. Etika a komunikace v medicíně. Praha : Grada, 2011. ISBN 978-80-247-3976-2.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Social and Cultural Anthropology (16-5) Category: Philosophy, theology 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Social and Cultural Anthropology (16-5) Category: Philosophy, theology 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter