Module: Health Inequalities and the Social Determinants of Health

Lectures 6-7: Globalisation and the Global Political Economy of Health

 

Lectures 6 – 7 will introduce students to definitions and theories of globalisation, and describe the various dimensions (economic, social, cultural and political) of globalisation. It will explain the difference between ‘international’ and ‘global’ and examine the policy, political and  financial drivers of globalisation and their impact on health; democracy and governance; economic development; the management of public goods; and other elements of the globalised political economy.

 

Students will also be introduced to the existing governance structures and systems that manage and shape globalisation and the interface between globalisation and national governance. In doing so, students will appreciate the way in which globalisation (in its current form) shapes the various social determinants of health as experienced by communities and individuals.

 

Through the examination of globalisation, students will be introduced to the dominant neoliberal approach to public policy, and understand the relevance of economic and political theory to health and health policy making.

 

Examples of concrete policy responses to the negative effects of the current form of globalisation will be presented; and in doing so, reveal the critical distinction between policy and politics.

Compulsory Readings: Week 6

  • Global Health Watch 2005-6. Chapter A: Health in a Borderless World. London: Zed Books (Read it here)
  • Chapters 3 and 4. UNDP Human Development Report 2011

Compulsory Readings: Week 7

  • Feachem RGA, 2001. Globalisation is good for your health, mostly. BMJ 2001; 323:504–6. (Read it here)
  • Global Health Watch 2. An Alternative Development Paradigm. London: Zed Books (Read it here)
  • Chapters 14 – 17 CSDH Report

Seminar: Week 5 Reading


Key question: How is the influence of gender on health inequalities portrayed in the popular press?

 

Bring a popular media article (BBC website, Daily Mail, etc) from the past week in to the seminar for a discussion centred on the objectives and key readings. There will be a quick ‘sorting’ discussion where the students will classify their articles based on geography, theme (ie, lack of access, mental health, risky behaviours) and then they will then present their article in 1-2 minutes and discuss. Focus on the message from the author, and be critical of any bias: important skill when reading media outputs or grey literature as well as peer-reviewed articles.

Seminar: Week 6 Reading

This seminar will be based on the content of the 2011 HDR. Structured guidance for the seminar will be disseminated during the term.

Additional Readings

  • Labonte R and Schrecker T. Globalization and social determinants of health: Introduction and methodological background (part 1 of 3) Globalization and Health 2007, 3:5 doi:10.1186/1744-8603-3-5 (Read it here)
  • Labonte R and Schrecker T. Globalization and social determinants of health: The role of the global marketplace (part 2 of 3) Globalization and Health 2007, 3:6 doi:10.1186/1744-8603-3-6 (Read it here)
  • Labonte R and Schrecker T. Globalization and social determinants of health: Promoting health equity in global governance (part 3 of 3) Globalization and Health 2007, 3:7 doi:10.1186/1744-8603-3-7 (Read it here)
  • ILO, 2004. A Fair Globalisation: Creating Opportunities for All. World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization  (Read it here)
  • Ha-Joon Chang, 2003. Kicking Away the Ladder: The “Real” History of Free Trade. Foreign Policy In Focus. Special Report  (Read it here)
  • Barry K Gills (2010): Going South: capitalist crisis, systemic crisis, civilisational crisis, Third World Quarterly, 31:2, 169-184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01436591003711926 
  • Stuckler et al, 2012. Responding to the economic crisis: a primer for public health professionals. Journal of Public Health | Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 298–306 | doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdq060 (Read it here)
  • Koivusalo M, 2006. The Impact of Economic Globalisation on Health. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics (2006) 27: 13–34 (Read it here)
  • Bettcher D and Lee K, Globalisation and public health: A Glossary. J Epidemiol Community Health 2002;56:8–17 (Read it here)

 

Lecture Notes and Powerpoints