University of the West of England

MODULE SPECIFICATION

Code: UPSNNL-30-2 Title: Medicine and Social Control Version: 1

Level: 2 UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15

Module type: Standard

Owning Faculty: SSH Field: Sociology & Criminology

Valid from: September 2009 Discontinued from:

Contributes towards: Awards up to BA/BSc

Pre-requisites: None

Co-requisites: None

Excluded combinations: None

Learning outcomes:

On completion of the module students are expected to be able to:

    1. Discuss and describe the emergence of biomedical power and authority as a key feature of modern societies (Component A)

    2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of modern biomedicine as a form of social control; (Components A and B)

    3. Critically assess the impacts of medical discourse on healthcare policies and practices; (Components A and B)

    4. Explore linkages between the biomedical sciences and social exclusion (Component A)

    5. Have an awareness and understanding of different methodological approaches to studying medicine, health, illness, death and dying (Component B).

Syllabus outline:

This module will draw on a range of topic areas including:

    • History of modern medicine

    • Surveillance, the medical profession and social control

    • Deviance and the mentally ill

    • Sickness and the idle unemployed

    • Methodological approaches to studying medical practice, health & illness, death & dying

    • Population control

    • Controlling women's bodies

    • Abortion

    • Genetic diversity

    • National biobanks and forensic databases

    • Disability politics

    • Euthanasia

    • Suicide and gender

    • Death

Teaching and learning methods:

This module will be delivered through weekly one hour lectures critically introducing the topic areas. Lectures will be supplemented with weekly one hour in-depth seminars.

Reading Strategy:

The key readings for each seminar will be provided in either the form of a reading pack, a web-link to a relevant resource from the module's website on UWE Blackboard, or a chapter in a book that is recommended for purchase. In order to facilitate further reading and research, the handbook will contain details of books, journals and websites relevant to the topics covered by this course.

Indicative Reading List:

Foucault, M. (2003) The Birth of the Clinic, London: Routledge.

Gabe, J. Kelleher, D. & Williams, G. (1994) Challenging Medicine, London: Routledge.

Huxtable, R. (2007) Euthanasia, Ethics and the Law: From conflict to compromise? London: Routledge

Lock, M. (2002) Twice Dead, Organ Transplants and the Reinvention of Death, California University Press.

Rose, N. (2007) The Politics of Life Itself, Biomedicine, Power and Subjectivity in the Twenty-first Century, Princetown University Press.

Sheldon, S. (1997) Beyond Control, Medical Power, Women and Abortion Law, Pluto Press.

Turner, B. (1995) Medical Power and Social Knowledge, London: Sage.

Tutton, R. & Corrigan, O. (2004) (Eds) Genetic Databases: Socio-ethical Issues in the Collection and use of DNA. London: Routledge.

Wendell, S. (1996) The Rejected Body: Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability, London: Routledge.

Williams, S. (2003) Medicine and the Body, London: Sage.

Assessment

Weighting between components A and B A: 50% B: 50%

First Assessment Opportunity

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

Exam (3hrs) 50%

Component B

Description of each element Element weighting

Essay (3000 words) 50%

Second Assessment Opportunity: attendance at taught classes is not required

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

Exam (3hrs) 50%

Component B

Description of each element Element weighting

Essay (3000 words) 50%

Specification confirmed by……….............................Date................................................. (Associate Dean/Programme Director)

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