Course coordinator
Dr Jenny Munro
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Social Science School
Anthropology is the study of humankind in all of its dimensions. Medical anthropology is the study of how health and illness are shaped, experienced, and understood in light of global, historical, and political forces. ANTH2250 introduces some foundational concepts, theories and methods in medical anthropology and anthropologies of health and illness more broadly. This course also illuminates how anthropological approaches and methods are applied to understanding and improving contemporary health challenges. It also facilitates reflections on health inequalities and identifies key debates amongst anthropologists about different ways to approach and address illness.
Is feeling sick biological or cultural?ﾠDoes depression exist in all cultures? What methods and skills are useful to help us understand health experiences and broader social patterns?ﾠMedical anthropology can help to answer these questions. It is the study of how health and illness are shaped by cultural, global, historical, and political forces. ANTH2250 introduces medical anthropology, including ethnomedicine, critical perspectives on biomedicine, and health inequalities. The course considers topics like gender and sexuality, mental health, health sovereignty, and global health to show both cutting edge conceptual approaches and essential methods for practice and application. The course provides important perspectives and methods for those interested in health care, health policy, medicine, social work, community development, communications and research skills. You will read from a wide range of authors and case studies. You will be introduced to the practice of illness narrative interviewing and its origins in interpretive medical anthropology. You will conduct an illness narrative interview and write an analysis. Later in the course you will focus on learning the approach of critical medical anthropology and apply this to analyse a health-related experience.
Course requirements
Assumed background
If you have not previously taken an anthropology course you will benefit from reading a cultural anthropology text such as Eriksen, T. H. (2015). Small Places, Large Issues (4th ed., Vol. 56514). London: Pluto Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt183p184
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
#2 of any social science or health science course
Course contact
Course coordinator
Dr Julia LeMonde
School enquiries
Student Enquiries School of Social Science
Level 3, Michie Building (09), St Lucia Campus, The University of Queensland.
Monday-Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Jenny Munro
Dr Julia LeMonde
Tutor
Dr Hana Badando
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
Course aim: the aim of this course is to introduce the core insights of medical anthropology, including how it is used today in relation to contemporary health challenges.
Course Objectives:
- To introduce students to the perspectives and methods of medical anthropology and identify how these are useful for understanding and addressing contemporary health issues
- To facilitate discovery of the cultural, political, biological, historical and environmental dimensions of health
- To foster discussion of health inequalities and identify ways to improve health and healthcare
- To prepare students to apply anthropology outside the university, including by considering ethnographic approaches to and using narrative interviewing skills
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify, compare and apply the key theories, concepts, and ethnographic approaches of medical anthropology
LO2.
Demonstrate and reflect on how culture shapes illness experiences, health, and healing practices
LO3.
Design, conduct and analyse narrative interviews on health and illness
LO4.
Evaluate the critical medical anthropology approach to health
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique | Illness Narrative Interview & Essay | 50% |
11/04/2025 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Critical Medical Anthropology (CMA) Video Analysis | 50% |
9/06/2025 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Illness Narrative Interview & Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
11/04/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
An illness narrative is a personal story about an illness experience. Illness narratives are used by medical anthropologists and medical doctors to understand the patient’s experience with a disease. (See additional resources about illness narrative on Blackboard). You are asked to design and conduct, record, through transcription or detailed notes, an illness narrative interview with a relative, classmate or friend, and then write an essay on that interview which analyses their story, including some direct quotes that represent their experience. In this essay, you will demonstrate your ability to explain and apply the meaning-centred or interpretive approach in medical anthropology. You will describe, identify, and analyse cultural and social influences on health and illness using quotes from your interviewee and supporting references from anthropology texts. Word limit: 1500 +/- 10%.
Reference in APA 7th
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Use of AI: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work can NOT be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Critical Medical Anthropology (CMA) Video Analysis
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
9/06/2025 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L04
Task description
Choose one of the three video options and write an analysis from a CMA perspective, giving examples from the people in the video. Include the context, relevant definitions, and supporting evidence from anthropology texts. See Rubric on Blackboard. Word Limit: 1500 +/- 10%. Reference in APA 7th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xc1TBjcixc (Drew from New York, focused on schizophrenia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdfSZduKZws (Dimple from India, focused on diabetes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwBGUzAhtNU (Indigenous and rural Australians, focused on heart conditions)
You can enable transcripts my clicking ‘more’ in the description and ‘show transcript’ at the bottom of the page.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Use of AI: This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work can NOT be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary assessment is an additional opportunity to demonstrate that the learning requirements for an eligible course have been satisfied and that the graduate attributes for the course have been attained. Supplementary assessment may only be granted where Supplementary Assessment – procedures allow. A passing grade of 4 (or P) is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. For further information on supplementary assessment please see my.UQ.
Additional assessment information
Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Modules https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
School Guide for Written Assessments: School of Social Science Guide for Written Assessments
Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The marks and feedback for the final assessment item will only be made available to the student on the Finalisation of Grades date at the end of semester.
Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Please refer to the course reading guide on Blackboard for the most up to date information on readings. In addition, there are a number of medical anthropology textbooks available online via UQ library. Each textbook offers a slightly different angle on introducing medical anthropology and students are encouraged to make use of these texts for further explanation or discussion of course materials.ﾠ
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Seminar |
Introducing Medical Anthropology This session introduces what medical anthropology is all about, including some of its history, and explains the course content and assessments. As with all the lectures in the course it will be a mix of lecture and discussion or small group work, so please look at the ECP and the course reading guide on Blackboard and read the first chapter of the Singer et al textbook and the article about ethnography as a way of looking at critical incidents before class. See reading details on Blackboard. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Seminar |
Theoretical Approaches in Medical Anthropology In this class we introduce the three main theoretical approaches within medical anthropology - that is, the interpretive or meaning-centred approach, the critical approach, and the ecological approach. This lecture and discussion provides essential content for your understanding of medical anthropology. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Seminar |
Methodologies of Medical Anthropology This class focuses on how medical anthropology is done in practice and the principles that guide its methods. It introduces the practice of anthropological interview and the illness narrative interview. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Seminar |
Cultural Concepts of Health and Illness This class focuses on how culture influences understandings of health and disease and healing systems through the ideas of ethnomedicine and disease causation. These are the core ideas of interpretive medical anthropology. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Seminar |
Health Inequalities and Local Biologies In addition to looking at culture, medical anthropology also asks how inequalities (social, political, environmental) affect health - this lecture will introduce and explore critical medical anthropology and its key concepts, including how anthropology understands the determinants of health. Building on the introduction to health inequalities, this session focuses on the concept of 'local biologies' and uses it to analyse racial disparities and the effects of racism on health. Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Seminar |
Gender and Sexuality in Health and Health Care Considerations of gender are essential to medical anthropology, and sexuality has often been an area of contention between medicine and anthropology. This class introduces the anthropology of genders and sexualities and shows how these cultural and embodied constructs intersect with health and health care. Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Seminar |
Biomedicine, Biotechnologies, and Biopolitics This class focuses on the anthropology of biomedicine, including ideas of the body, and critiques of the power relations embedded in medical practices and systems. We also look at anthropological analyses of biotechnologies and how anthropologists contribute to emerging technologies. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break - No class |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Seminar |
Embodied Difference & Disability Worlds Bringing in insights from Disability Studies, this class focuses on social and cultural understandings of dis/ability, including inequalities, activism, and enduring questions of what is 'normal' and how to understand 'difference'. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Seminar |
Reproductive Health and Justice This class begins by looking at how inequalities and culture shape reproduction (including fertility, pregnancy, birth, childrearing) and then investigates the idea of reproductive justice for improving reproductive health policies and interventions. Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Seminar |
Health Sovereignties This class focuses on how to do health and health care in ways that dismantle rather than reinforce existing colonial, social and structural hierarchies, especially for Indigenous peoples in Australia and globally, with a focus on the concept and history of health sovereignty. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Seminar |
Global Health and Medical Humanitarianism Global health and medical humanitarianism are important areas of anthropological practice and innovation. In this class we discuss what anthropology brings to the study of globally common diseases and how anthropologists contribute to improving health issues like infectious disease, malaria, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Workshop |
Course Conclusion In this class we will synthesise key insights and skills from the course and explore future directions and practices in medical anthropology. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.