Macquarie University

Culture, Health and Sexuality in the Developing World - ANTH322

This unit explores health programming in developing countries through a focus on the intersection of culture, health and sexuality. We consider the context and impact of HIV/AIDS and reproductive health problems and applied prevention and treatment programs in various parts of the world. Students will learn about cultural dimensions of disease transmission, health vulnerability and access to treatment and care. We examine understandings of sexual identity and practices, and how diverse historical and cross-cultural variation complicates international public health programs. We consider how intimate relations become a key vector of disease spread in different times and places. We see that sexuality remains a key underpinning through which 'third world' populations are both the focus of cross-cultural desires and the targets of health regulations seeking to police sexual contact and maintain specific modes of social reproduction. We then examine global health issues such as family planning, maternal and infant health, and HIV/AIDS and explore their links to gender and sexuality in developing countries. We consider how specific health dilemmas are impacted by social, economic, political and cultural factors including migration, poverty, marginalisation, identity politics, state and donor policies, national service provision and community mobilisation.

Timetable Information

For unit timetable information and session dates for external offerings please visit the Timetables@Macquarie Website