Global School

The concept of "global health" has diverse meanings in different contexts. This graduate course will introduce students to multiple perspectives on global health and examine the debates and contestations that define this nascent field. Throughout the course, students will be in conversation with different disciplines—anthropology, public health, development studies and gender studies— and will critically examine global health as ideology and practice. Case studies and examples will primarily be drawn from Africa, North America, and internationally to facilitate cross-cultural comparisons and will focus, inter alia, on recent pandemic outbreaks (e.g., HIV/AIDS, COVID and Ebola) and long-standing global health challenges like maternal mortality and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The key topics to be covered in the course will include: history of global health, interdisciplinary perspectives on global health; (de)coloniality and global health architecture, social determinants of health, global health interventions and their successes and failures, and planetary health. This course engages substantially with the following Sustainable Development Goals: no poverty, good health and wellbeing, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, reduced inequalities and partnerships for the goals.

IGS 555 Collaboration for a Better World Seminar Series (Cat. I, 0 credits) This is a faculty directed seminar series open to all faculty, students, and staff at WPI. The series features talks and presentations by scholars, teachers, and practitioners from within and outside of WPI on their interdisciplinary, collaborative work that addresses and links issues of environment, health, community development, and justice. The seminar series gives graduate students from interdisciplinary programs, alongside faculty, an opportunity to integrate and contextualize their individual experiences, perspectives, and scholarship within the broader global context. The seminars will help students engage with 1) intersectoral and transdisciplinary themes that relate to global issues of health, environment, development, and justice in the broader context; 2) discuss the intersections of societal needs and technological responses and, 3) critical approaches to technology and expertise.. The seminar also aims to develop habits of lifelong learning as students articulate strategies for translating their global health experiences and expertise into personal values and professional opportunities in their future careers. The format of the series is a 45-minute talk with 45 minutes for discussion. Each year, the CFBW committee develops the year’s program of 6-8 speakers who speak on a range of issues of broad interest to the WPI community. Past speakers have addressed topics around urban planning and environment (Dr. James Evans); politics, justice, and energy transitions (Dr. Jennie Stephens); multi-cultural approaches to health and hazards (Dr. Lily Balloffet); and politics and community development in the context of extractive economies (Dr. Thea Riofrancos). Recommended background: Any – the seminar is open to all.

Current issues and state-of-the-art research in Integrative and Global Studies. Repeatable for credit with different topics.

Individual investigations or studies of any aspect of Integrative and Global Studies as may be selected by the student and approved by the faculty member who supervises the work.