THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : Social Policy

Undergraduate Course: Infectious Disease and Global Governance (SCPL10035)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course examines the contemporary governance of infectious disease through a multi-disciplinary social scientific approach. The course examines the way in which the socio-political circumstances underpinning infectious disease impact upon the way in which the diseases are experienced, perceived, constructed, represented, and managed at the local, national and individual levels.
Course description The course will explore how local, national and global-level factors interlink to determine the way in which infectious diseases are experienced and handled. It emphasises the impact of enduring inequalities at each of these levels in both determining who gets sick and how events are managed. The first part of the course (weeks 1 to 3) will focus upon local-level factors such as cultural practices and social distinctions. The second part of the course (weeks 4 to 6) will examine disease management and the role of the nation-state. Issues to be discussed include the politics of border control and disease surveillance, and the linking of infectious disease with concepts of national security. The final part of the course (weeks 7 to 10) broadens the analytical gaze to the level of the global, critically examining the way in which infectious diseases are framed as a problem for global action. This will include the interrogation of concepts of globalised risk, the co-ordination of various global actors, and analysing the way in which infectious diseases are linked to ideas of sustainable global well-being and economic development. Through this, students will gain an appreciation of the complex interplay of social, political, economic and cultural factors that underpin infectious diseases in global health.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements This is primarily a course taken by BMedSci students, and a small number of places are additionally available to students studying for undergraduate degrees in the School of Social and Political Science.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  25
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 10, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 12, Online Activities 4, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 170 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 1. Annotated bibliography: Students submit a critical evaluation of selected academic and policy sources relevant to the production of their final essay. This task encourages students to evaluate the aims, strengths, limitations and usefulness of source materials. Total of 1000 words. (25%)

2. Essay of 3000 words (75%)
Feedback The annotated bibliography, which focuses on sources useful for the final essay, will serve as an opportunity to gain feedback on student¿s approach to the essay.
Continuous informal feedback is offered during seminar sessions and Guidance and Feedback hours.

No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an awareness of current issues in infectious disease and global health
  2. Assess the relationship between infectious disease and socio-political structures at the local, national, and global levels
  3. Consider and analyse the role of key discourses, actors, structures and institutions that underpin the experience and management of infectious disease
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of various social scientific tools in investigating infectious diseases
  5. Identify and evaluate academic and policy literatures around infectious disease governance
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsGlobal health,infectious disease,governance
Contacts
Course organiserDr Sudeepa Abeysinghe
Tel: (0131 6)51 5471
Email:
Course secretaryMiss Katarzyna Pietrzak
Tel: (0131 6)51 3162
Email:
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