Sociology of Health & Illness - SOC00011I

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Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Autumn Term 2022-23
B	Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

• To introduce theoretical perspectives within the sociology of health and illness and to apply them to selected health related issues.
• To appreciate the socially constructed nature of medical knowledge and medical practice
• To be aware of the relationship between and explanations for the social differences and inequalities in health, illness and disease

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module students will have acquired:

• A critical understanding of concepts central to the sociology of health and illness, namely: the biomedical and social models, medicalisation, professionalisation, surveillance and risk
• An in-depth appreciation of some contemporary issues such as: new reproductive technologies, illness narratives, and clinical work

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Visiting Student Assessment	100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Visiting Student Assessment	100

Module feedback

Written Feedback

Indicative reading

Annandale, E. (1998) The Sociology of Health and Medicine Cambridge, Polity Press

Blaxter, M. (2004) Health, Cambridge, Polity Press

Brown, N. and Webster, A. J. (2004) New Medical Technologies and Society: Reordering Life Cambridge, Polity Press

Cockerham, W. (2009) The New Blackwell Companion to Medical Sociology London, Wiley-Blackwell

Gabe, J. and Monaghan, L.. (2013) Key Concepts in Medical Sociology London, Sage. Second edition.

Kelleher, D., Gabe J. & Williams, G. (eds) (2006) Challenging Medicine.London: Routledge. Second edition.

Nettleton, S. (2013) The Sociology of Health and Illness (d ed.) Cambridge, Polity Press. Third edition.

Lupton, D. (2012) Medicine as culture illness, disease and the body in western societies. London, Sage. Third edition