WGH211 [Fall 1] Women, Gender, and Health: Introductory Perspectives

Dr. Stacey Missmer, Invited guest lecturers
2.5 credits
Lectures, case studies. One 3-hour session each week.

This course will introduce students to gender as a theoretical concept and a category of analysis in public health - that is, the way gender has contributed to differentially structuring women and men's experiences of health. The course aims to answer such questions as: 

• How has gender influenced the construction of public health in diverse societies?
• How do our social frameworks and structures, such as gender, affect people's experiences and expectations of health?

This course is designed for students who wish to enhance their understanding of, and skills related to, the social and cultural factors that have influenced the development of individuals' and societal health. The interfaces among gender, class, race/ethnicity, and sexuality will also be emphasized.

The course will cover a broad range of health issues for which gender has been of special importance. Topics to be covered include: reproductive health, sexual health and sexuality, mental health and violence, occupational health and work, environmental health and pollution, epidemiology and disease, and health policy. Issues relating to the distribution of health, disease, and well-being, including policy, will be addressed across sessions. Additionally, sessions will include international, domestic, and historical perspectives, with attention paid to both research and policy dimensions.