GIAN course: Culture and Health: Ethnographic Perspectives and Methods
Overview
This course is intended for researchers examining (mental) health, animal health, public health and forms of healing in their social and cultural contexts which can profoundly shape conceptions of illness and illness outcomes. Particular readings will demonstrate certain positive features of India’s capacity to cope with mental illness which ideally should not be compromised as the country’s mental health treatment policies respond to the Movement for Global Mental Health. The course provides ethnographic case studies from different parts of the world which students will examine in relation to cases from India and other parts of South Asia. A section of the class will focus on mental health which is especially shaped by its cultural milieu, and the readings will consider studies of how the treatment of mental illness in India is affected by the International Movement for Global Mental Health. In addition, Prof. Halliburton will share his experience conducting fieldwork in India and the United States in an effort to help students become aware of the variety of methods available for studying culture and health.
Objectives
The primary objectives of the course are as follows:
- Understand the degree to which health and illness are shaped by social and cultural forces.
- Develop comparative insights from reading and discussing case studies from around the world
- Learn about ethnographic research methods used in anthropology and other social sciences
- Assess the opportunities and challenges of mental health practices in India
Registration
To express interest in attending the program, participants are requested to complete the registration link- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScg3hI5eZH1lfh6xss4wbPJLzbEZ7E9z_Fy7_xxHV9txcLGsg/viewform?usp=header
Once the selection process is complete, shortlisted candidates will receive a payment link via email. Please refer to the registration fee details and fill accordingly. ID card proof is required before filling the form. Please check the attached brochure.
