| Unit name | Power, Politics and Global Health |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOLM0084 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Nick Townsend |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit outlines what makes global health policy inherently political. You will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of power and politics and their impact on policy-making in the global health context. What are the key actors, institutions and governance dynamics in the global health policy field, and how do they influence outcomes? You will learn how ‘global health’ developed as a socially-constructed and colonially-constrained concept with different historical implications for the Global North and Global South, understand the complex ways in which health policies are framed and evidenced, who designs and delivers them, and how they are deemed successful.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit is one of three mandatory units during the first teaching block (TB1). It directly supports your learning in the Social and Commercial Determinants of Health Policy Unit (TB1). The unit also offers you a very clear introduction to different actors’ and institutions’ intersections across the complex dimensions of global health governance, considering new ways that influence towards global health equity can be achieved. This holds considerable relevance for all students, in particular those enrolled on the Global Health Leadership and Diplomacy (TB2) and alongside the Dissertation and Work- Based Applied Research Project (TB4AYEAR) options.
An overview of content
This unit introduces key mechanisms of global health policy dynamics. You will first examine meanings of terms such as ‘global health’ and ‘policy’, followed by exploration of a range of theories and models of policy-making. These models enable insight into the privileging (or disadvantaging) of some health issues in different geographic and political contexts, by exploring roles and power differentials occupied by a range of actors such as: states, transnational organisations, philanthropic entities, health providers, publics, academics and markets, alongside an appreciation for the politics of evidence. Applying your learning to existing health policy on non-communicable diseases, health and climate change, and infectious disease will help you to identify better future options.
How will students, personally be different as a result of this unit
This unit will challenge you to deconstruct assumptions about what constitutes ‘global health’ from a multi-disciplinary stance, enabling you to become a compelling champion for global health equity. Your attention to the role of power will help you to better influence some of the conflicting intersections of politics, ideas and institutions.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through face-to-face weekly interactive lectures and seminars. During seminars you will often be asked to undertake a group or individual task based on the lecture and assigned readings for that week, and engagement in seminar interaction and discussion is expected. Your learning is supported via the online learning platform, Blackboard, where lecture materials and tasks are listed weekly. There is also an emphasis on self-directed study and reading.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
You will complete a formative element consisting of a 400 word max essay plan essay that you will be required to submit via blackboard during week 8. You will have an opportunity to discuss your essay plan in a planned seminar session and during the weekly drop-in office hours. Teaching staff will also give written feedback on ONE draft of the one-page essay plan.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay (3000 words, 100%)
This assessment covers all of the Learning Outcomes.
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, unsuccessful students may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. If you are eligible to resubmit and where appropriate, you may submit a revised version of your previous assignment or complete an alternative assessment in the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOLM0084).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
