This course explores meanings and expressions of health, illness, caring, and healing transculturally. Culture is examined as a pervasive, determining “blue print” for thought and action throughout the human health experience. Patterns of human interaction that foster health and quality of life are analyzed and health destroying patterns of interaction, i.e., stereotyping, discrimination, and marginalization, are submitted to moral and ethical reflection. Likewise, power structures within dominant social systems (including the Western bio-medical care system) are discussed to identify dilemmas of justice related to resource allocation.

This course introduces students to integral healing practices including their historical and cultural contexts. Reflection and dialogue on the philosophical underpinnings of therapeutic systems and paradigms of healing are explored. Potential modalities include: music and art therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, mind-body healing, spiritual practices, energy healing, movement therapies, homeopathy, or massage. Students learn self-care and applications to patient populations.

This course will explore how health and illness are related to inequities in society and dynamics of power in systems of health care. The following issues will be examined in the course: How widening gaps in the distribution of wealth diminish the health of all members of society; how social inequities become medicalized as health disparities, how an emphasis on profit in health care affects the distribution of healing resources in the population, and what strategies the poor and powerless employ to gain access to health care resources. This course will include an optional study abroad experience in Guatemala.