Spring Quarter 2016, HSERV 415/515 & Global Health 419/519
Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:00 AM to 10:20 AM Friday Discussion Section, 9:00 AM to 10:20 AM
Drs. Evan Kanter and Amy Hagopian are teaching “War and Health,” a 4-credit course open to both undergrads and graduate students. It was offered for the first time last year and was rated “4.5” overall by the 50 students who took it.
We explore the health consequences of war during the first half of the course (injury, infectious diseases, mental health, chronic disease, malnutrition, infrastructure, weapons, torture) and the role of health professionals and others in preventing war during the second half (advocacy, measurement and application of epidemiological methods, promotion of social equity).
Readings: individual articles on the Canvas site.
Discussion groups on Fridays.
Course is limited to 50. Graduate students will be discussion leaders.
Draft syllabus available on request: hagopian@uw.edu
Dr. Kanter is an MD PhD neuroscientist and psychiatrist who has worked at the VA to counsel veterans with PTSD. He’s also served as president of the national Physicians for Social Responsibility. I’ve led projects to measure war-related mortality and morbidity in Iraq. To bring these subjects to life, students entering the class will each select a “study war” (your own personal war!) to serve as a case example of topics we explore. The Friday discussion circles will include representatives of a number of wars to compare and contrast. Graduate students in the course will serve as discussion leaders.
If you were born in 1991 or later, the U.S. has been at war during your entire sentient life! It’s among the most important determinants of health, if not directly (through mass killings), then indirectly (through diversion of resources, creating a culture of violence and militarism, undermining health and education systems, spurring refugee migration, and more).
