INTS 222 Global Health Politics

This course introduces students to issues of global health viewed through the lenses of International Relations and Comparative Politics. It emphasizes connections between economic, social, political, and environmental factors and health outcomes. Students will examine the roles of various actors in setting and addressing items on the global health agenda, including the nation state, inter-governmental organizations, corporations, and other non-governmental actors. The course is organized around 7 units that cover the history of global health, data and measurements in the study of global health, governance, and policy and practice around global health. Three of the units look at various frameworks common to International Studies: Political Economy & Development, National and Human Security, and Human Rights. Throughout the semester, we ask such questions as: Why do some health issues become issues of global concern, while others are ignored? How have the epidemiological and demographic transitions shaped the health situations in various nation states? What transnational health challenges exist and how has the international community rallied together—or not—to address them? How have environmental and political changes shaped health outcomes? What are the greatest challenges to global health on the horizon and what are the best ways for actors to prepare for those challenges? This course is firmly grounded in the theoretical perspectives of International Studies but is also suitable for those with broad interests in Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, Biomathematics, Political Economy, and Public Health.