INTHE4117 – Global Epidemics
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
This course considers the changing nature of global epidemics of infectious diseases and the global, national and local responses to these, including the role of research and evaluation. It looks into the social, cultural, economic and political factors surrounding epidemic threats such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis or the flu, their prevention and control. We will examine gender relations; poverty; stigma and discrimination; vulnerable populations; and community-based prevention and control; as well as global responses to HIV/AIDS, from patient activism to ‘global health’ interventions. Attention will also be given to understanding the role of biosecurity in framing global epidemics and the relation of responses to epidemic to health system development.
This course will build upon the Fundamentals of International Community Health Class (INTHE4013/14) but with a specific focus on issues surrounding infectious epidemics, the interaction between biology and social factors, and the political architectures of response to epidemics
Indicative course content (topics):
Topics covered will include:
- The global history of epidemics and responses to it, with particular accent on HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and the flu. Impact in different countries and on particular communities; and the changing nature of the epidemics over time.
- The role of gender, sexuality, poverty and stigma in the epidemic, and the socio-economic contexts of exposure.
- Prevention as ‘social public health’. The role of the community in HIV prevention; and the role of researchers and health professionals in partnerships for prevention.
- Architectures of response, including the role of international and global organizations; “global health” interventions, epidemic preparedness and global biosecurity; “community-based” responses and their engagements with prevention and treatment; activism.
- The positive and negative impact of responses to epidemics on health systems.
- Ethical issues that have arisen within globally-funded clinical trials on anti-infective medicines in Africa.
- Important developments, such as drug therapies, national and international control strategies or vaccination programmes. Associated success and challenges, and their relations to issues such as poverty, gender relations and nutrition.
- The link between communicable and non- communicable diseases through a focus on co-infections and co-morbidity; lessons learned from HIV-AIDS in relation to other epidemic threats will be discussed. Students will be encouraged to critically assess the commonalities and differences between epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, TB or the flu. What do they have in common regarding location, vulnerable populations, and the architectures of response including interactions with national health systems?
You will develop your knowledge about:
- The impact of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and the flu in different countries and communities
- Gender, poverty, and stigma dimensions of epidemics
- The links between HIV and TB regarding vulnerable population, prevention and treatment issues.
- Current and future patterns of epidemic prevention, treatment, care, and intervention
- The architecture of response: programmes and interventions – including global, national and community-level responses, biosecurity
- Epidemic prevention and social public health
- Drugs, pharmaceutical companies and global activism
- HIV/AIDS, clinical trials and ethical issues surrounding access to treatment
- Epidemic responses and ‘global health’; the impact of global funding on the control of epidemic threats
- The contribution of social scientific research to understanding epidemics, including emerging areas of research
You will learn:
- to explore the impact of epidemics, as well as prevention and treatment policies in particular countries, regions and communities
- to think critically about the relations between the epidemics, gender relations, stigma and poverty
- to explain the role and impact of global, national and local responses to epidemics
- to critically analyze issues surrounding access to treatment such as the role of the pharmaceutical industry and of global activism
- to discuss the ethical issues surrounding clinical drug trials in resource-poor communities.
- to explore how the issues raised by epidemics, prevention and treatment may be relevant to your own research projects.
- You will gain an overview of the key issues surrounding the epidemics in relation to public health, global health and community-based prevention and treatment.
- You will be able to develop arguments and engage in discussion in both oral and written forms.
- Critical thinking will be encouraged through an understanding of the history and present of epidemics and responses to them.
Students enrolled at the M.Phil in International Community Health programme will get first priority to the course, as long as they register before 10 January. The deadline for register in Studentweb and apply for courses is February 1.
Students enrolled in other Master's degree programmes at the UIO can, on application to firstname.lastname@example.org, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme. We prioritize students at other programmes at the Institute and Faculty. You will get an answer latest 20 January.
External applicants, not already enrolled as a student at UIO, are welcome to apply. Please fill out the form at https://www.uio.no/english/studies/programmes/ichealth-master/admission/ to check if you meet the requirements and which documents to you need to provide. In short you need to provide:
- A completed Bachelor’s degree or a period of study comparable with a Norwegian Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution.
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of C (in Norwegian scale) or equivalent from the specialization in your degree.
- A English language test of a certain level.
- The applicants must have a specialization either within health sciences or social sciences.
To apply, please email email@example.com before 10 January with all the relevant documents (see the link above). Applicants who have not attached all the nessecary documents will not get admission.
Note: all documents must be official certified copies
Read more about admission for international applicants
You will get an answer latest 20 January.
Lectures, discussion and group-work. You have to participate in at least 80 % of the teaching to be allowed to take the exam. Attendance at lectures will be registered.
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Use of sources and citation
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
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Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.