Module: Anthropology, Health & Illness

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Anthropology, Health & Illness
Module Code	HEA1010 (ITS: NS272)
Faculty	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The module aims to introduce students to basic concepts and themes in the anthropology of health and illness. It covers issues related to culture; bodies and commodification; food and globalisation; the expression of pain and distress; explaining and narrating illness; healthcare pluralism; the popular, folk, and professional biomedical healthcare sectors in the context of global care chains, self-medication, professionalisation, managerialism and patient mobility. By using illustrations from ground-level studies of day-to-day experiences of health, illness and healthcare in both western and non-western societies, the module will provide students with new perspectives on the ways in which human suffering is grounded in larger cultural and social contexts.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify the relevance of anthropology to the understanding of health and illness
2. Understand the major concepts and theoretical approaches in the anthropology of health and illness
3. Explore the influence of cultural and social contexts on the body, food, pain, distress, illness and care
4. Explore the ways in which globalisation and the commodification of new areas of social life have impacted the manners in which we engage with the body, food, pain, distress, illness and care

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	interactive in-class lectures
Independent Study	51	No Description
Directed learning	50	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20519	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Sabina Stan	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	n/a	60%	n/a
Formal Examination	n/a	40%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

The body and culture

Food systems and health

Expressing distress and pain

Narrating and explaining illness

Healthcare pluralism

The popular healthcare sector

The folk healthcare sector

The professional biomedical sector

Patient mobility and biomedicines

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Helman, C.G.: 2007, Culture, Health and Illness, Arnold, London,
Iosif Ross, A.: 2012, The anthropology of alternative medicine, Berg, London,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None