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Contemporary Medicine and Society

Code: 106236
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Science, Technology and Humanities OB 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Miquel Carandell Baruzzi
Email :
miquel.carandell@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Celia Miralles
Sandra Elena Guevara Flores

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There is none.

Objectives

This course approaches the analysis of medicine as a political, social and cultural phenomenon, and examines, among other topics, historical conceptions of health and illness, the relationship between health professionals and patients, material culture of medicine, the emergence of public health or current challenges of global health. Therfore, this course explores the influence of sociocultural factors in the construction of the concepts of health and illness and the appearance of the determinants of health.

Learning outcomes

  1. Recognise the essential elements of the medical profession as a result of a scientific, social and cultural evolution, including ethical principles, legal responsibilities and patient-centred professional practice.
  2. Identify the origins and the institutionalisation of scientific activity, together with the epistemological bases of scientific thought in the health sciences.
  3. Understand the human being as a multidimensional entity, in which the interrelationship of biological, psychological, social, ecological and historical factors has an impact on states of health and illness, together with the manifestations of these.
  4. Describe the historical factors conditioning the globalisation of health problems and international strategies on health.
  5. Specify the historical factors conditioning the configuration of the various national health systems.
  6. Develop a critical attitude by studying controversies in the history of medicine.
  7. Notice how closely living conditions and the social distribution of health and illness in the population are intertwined.
  8. Develop a diachronic view of the role of care centres and social and health care agents, in order to assess their past and present contribution to fighting illness and improving health in the population.
  9. Correctly use databases and bibliographic, encyclopaedic and lexicographical reference works in the health sciences.
  10. Produce papers as part of a group.
  11. Recognise the states of health and illness as socially determined constructs which change from culture to culture and over time.

Contents

This subject is divided into two main blocks. The first block, with a more historical focus, will present the complex relationships between medical practice and the economy, politics and culture, focusing especially on the last 75 years of the development of what we call biomedicine. The second block, with a more anthropological focus, will present a critical vision of this biomedicine and, in particular, its universalism, control of the body and professionalization.


Block 1: Medicine and society in the second half of the 20th century and the first quarter of the 21st century

  • Medicine and the military-industrial complex.
  • Nuclear contamination, toxins and health.
  • Activism and illness.
  • Public communication of health risk.
  • Medicine and capitalism.


Block 2: Other medicines from critical anthropology

  • Medical Anthropology and biomedicine, key concepts.
  • The biomedical machine. Training of professionals for the state, the economy and society.
  • The body or bodies and their owners. Diagnostics and new treatments.
  • Sociocultural aspects of health and alternative/complementary medicines.
  • Challenges of World Health.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
CLASSROOM PRACTICES (PAUL) 16 0.64 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
SELF-STUDY 14 0.56 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
THEORY (TE) 33 1.32 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
ORAL PRESENTATION / EXPOSITION OF WRITTEN WORKS 8 0.32 9, 10
COMPREHENSIVE READING OF ARTICLES AND REPORTS OF INTEREST 50 2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11
PREPARATION OF WRITTEN WORKS 25 1

The teaching-learning methodology of the subject includes three types of activities: directed face-to-face activities, supervised activities and autonomous activities. Directed face-to-face activities will consist of theoretical and practical classroom classes where the teaching team will explain the framework in which the contents and basis of the subject included in the program are framed. Supervised activities will consist of scheduled academic counseling sessions. The independent activities will be dedicated to the students' study, reading and academic works.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Participation in debates 10% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11
Theory: Assessments written 60% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11
Oral defence 30% 0 0 9, 10

The evaluation of this subject consists in:

1. Bloc 1 Essay - 30%

2. Oral exercise bloc 1 - 30 %

3. Bloc 2 Essay - 30%.

4. Participation in class activites - 10%


At the time of each assessment activity, the professor will inform students (Moodle) of the procedure and date for grade review.+

If a student commits any irregularity that could lead to a significant change in the grade for an assessment, the assessment will be graded with a 0, regardless of any disciplinary process that may be initiated.

Students will receive a grade of \"Not Assessable\" provided they have not submitted more than 30% of the assessment activities.



SINGLE ASSESSMENT

The single assessment consists of an essay on each bloc with a total weight of 70%, and an oral defense with a weight of 30%.

Bibliography

Specific bibliography

López Piñero, José María. La medicina en la historia. Madrid: La Esfera de los Libros; 2002.

López Piñero, Jose María; Terrada Ferrandis, Maria Luz. Introducción a la medicina. Barcelona: Crítica; 2000.

Barona Vilar, Josep Lluís, editor. Manual de Historia de la Medicina. Valencia: Editorial Tirant lo Blanch; 2023.

Barona Vilar, Josep Lluís. Introducció a la medicina. València: Universitat de València; 1992.

Cooter, Roger: Pickstone John V. Companion to medicine in the twentieth century. London-New York: Routledge; 2003.

Rodríguez Ocaña, Esteban. Por la salud de las naciones. Higiene, microbiología y medicina social. Madrid: Akal; 1992.

Harding, Sandra G. Ciencia y feminismo. Madrid: Morata; 1996.

Han, B.-C. La sociedad paliativa. Madrid: Herder Editorial. 2021

Han, B.-C. La sociedad del Cansancio. Barcelona: Herder Editorial. 2022.

Jackson, Mark. A Global History of Medicine, 2018.

Porter, Roy. Blood and Guts: A Short History of Medicine, 2003.

 

Reference bibliography

Cooter, Roger: Pickstone John V. Companion to medicine in the twentieth century. London-New York: Routledge; 2003.

Porter, Dorothy. Health, Civilization and the State : A History of Public Health from Ancient to Modern Times. London-New York: Taylor & Francis Group; 1999

Ripoll Miralda, Jaume. Grec mèdic: guia per identificar termes. Barcelona: Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat; 2018.

Bernabeu Mestre, Josep. El llenguatge de les ciències de la salut. Introducció a la formació de termes mèdics. València: Conselleria de Sanitat i Consum de la Generalitat Valenciana / Universitat d'Alacant; 1995.

Cueva Martín, Alejandro de la; Aleixandre Benavent, Rafael; Rodríguez i Gairín, Josep Manuel. Fonts d'informació enciències de la salut. Valencia: Universitat de València; 2002.

Fausto-Sterling, A. Sexing the body Gender politics and the construction of sexuality. New York: Basic Books; 2000.

Aresti Esteban, N. Médicos, donjuanes y mujeres modernas: los ideales de feminidad y masculinidad en el primer tercio del siglo X. Zarautz: Universidad del País Vasco; 2001.

Sánchez Villam, M. C. Entre materia y espíritu. Modernidad y enfermedad social en la España Liberal (1833-1923). Madrid: CSIC. 2017.

Schiebinger, L. ¿Tiene sexo la mente? Las mujeres en los orígenes de la ciencia moderna, Madrid: Cátedra. 2004.

Software

No specific software required.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed