Health & Development Challenges in Developing Countries: a Focus on HIV/AIDS
Full course description
Outline
This course critically focuses on health and development challenges in developing countries. Taking the HIV/AIDS crisis as our lens, we investigate inequalities and interdependencies on a global, international, national and local level, while considering the role of public, private and civil society actors. Why is it that the poor are primarily sick and dying of AIDS? Why does MSF (Doctors Without Borders) know how to solve the AIDS crisis, but does not get the necessary support to do so? It is our aim to understand the underlying development processes and unlock the ongoing debates. The course focuses on the following themes: HIV/AIDS, poverty, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); colonialism and health; the role of actors of health development like, the WHO and UNAIDS; the relationship between human rights and access to medication; women and health; the influence of migration on health infrastructures; food, health and global crises like COVID-19.
Required knowledge
A good command of English is important.
Feedback
Students receive feedback during the conception and design of the development project and during the presentations.
Assessment
- Take-home exam;
- Skills assignment: subgroups design a health development project in the field of HIV/AIDS:
- A project proposal;
- A presentation; - Participation & Attendance
Ad1. The final take-home exam assesses command of the literature in the course: 3 open essay questions; students answer 2 with a 1500-2000 word limit (60% of the final grade);
Ad2. The project proposal has to be handed in on the Thursday of week 3 before 23.59 hrs (30% of the final grade);
Ad3. In week 3 students present the development project they designed (10% of their grade);
Ad4. According to criteria set by FHML.
Final assessment
Take-home exam
For more extensive information click this link: Electives Bachelor Medicine
Course objectives
- To understand and analyze challenges of health and development in developing countries.
- To connect issues of globalization, inequality, poverty, development, capabilities and health.
- To understand theories, concepts and historical roots of global social, political and economic inequalities.
- To gain knowledge of the main global and international actors and networks in the field of health and development, including their aim, reach and effectiveness.
- To gain knowledge about the intertwined nature of major contemporary global health issues and the interconnection between finances, climate change, food, energy and migration in the Global North and South.
- To learn skills necessary to write a health development project proposal