Undergraduate Course: Identity and Experience in Health (SHSS08002)
Course Outline
| School | School of Health in Social Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This is a compulsory first year (second semester) course on the Health, Science and Society degree programme. It complements the first semester course, Mapping Health and Illness across Societies by exploring key concepts in identity and experience in respect of questions of health, illness and impairment, and relating these to societal responses. It will enable students to develop initial understanding and critical thinking in the study of health and society. |
| Course description |
This course is divided into four parts. In the first part of the course, we will look at concepts of the self, identity, and their interplay with the body. Once we have introduced core concepts to understand the embodied self, the reflexive self and the development of identity, in part two we will focus on health, illness and impairment. We will explore different sociological theories to explore how experiences of impairment and illness can disrupt, but also produce, our sense of self. Part three of the course will introduce different ill health experiences and disabilities (such as chronic illness, dementia, panic and self-harm) and examine these through different interdisciplinary lenses (counselling, clinical psychology, nursing, sociology).We will consider how we can understand each of these ill-health experiences, and how they can affect our sense of self and identity. In the fourth and final part of the course, we will look at the influence of wider systems and society more broadly. We will explore interactions within health and social care systems and discuss how these shape experiences of ill health and impairment.
Organisational and societal responses
An outline of contemporary responses to the perceived challenges of providing health and social care in a globalised and growing population. Issues covered include: patients as partners; empowerment and person-centred care.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 100 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
166 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
One essay and one piece of collaborative group work to produce a written document.
Group work (40%)
Essay 2 (60%)
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| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be given on a 700 word essay.
Summative feedback will be given via Learn on the essay and group work as detailed above. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand core concepts from within interdisciplinary studies of illness experience, with some detailed knowledge of at least two core concepts
- Develop a broad understanding of the contemporary issues and challenges involved the provision of 'person-centred' health and social care in the 21st century
- Apply core concepts in order to understand the nature of lived experience of health, illness and selfhood
- Identify avenues for addressing contemporary issues and challenges in 21st century health and social care
- Reflect upon personal experience of health and illness, and upon the influence such experiences may have in shaping perceptions of contemporary health issues
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Reading List
Blaxter, M. (2010) Health. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Gabe, J. and Monaghan, F. (2013) Key Concepts in Medical Sociology. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications.
Goffman, E. (1968) Stigma: notes on the management of spoiled identity. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
Helman, C. (2007) Culture, Health and Illness (5th Edition) New York: Oxford University Press.
Nettleton, S. (2013) The Sociology of Health & Illness. 3rd Edition. Cambridge: Polity Press
Nettleton, S. And Gustafsson, U. (2002) The Sociology of Health and Illness Reader. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Swain, J. French, S. Barnes, C. and Thomas, C. (eds) (2014) Disabling Barriers ¿ Enabling Environments. Third Edition. London: Sage.
Thomas, C. (2007) Sociologies of Disability and Illness: contested ideas in disability studies and medical sociology. London: Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Journal articles from relevant journals e.g. Health; Sociology of Health and Illness; Social Science & Medicine; Disability and Society; Social Theory and Health; |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Paula Jacobs
Tel:
Email: pjacobs@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Brian Tuohy
Tel: (0131 6)50 6661
Email: Brian.Tuohy@ed.ac.uk |
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