Bachelor
2021/2022
Social Inequality in Health across the Life Course
Type:
Elective course (Sociology and Social Informatics)
Area of studies:
Sociology
Delivered by:
Department of Sociology
When:
4 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
48
Course Syllabus
Abstract
A life-course perspective is used to see the role of the timing, mechanisms, intermediary factors, and resources that shape social inequalities over life. Lower levels of income and education and low-status professions are all associated with poorer health (physical, mental well-being, functional limitations, and others). The evidence indicates that social inequalities in health persist from young age to later life. We will read scientific papers and discuss the main concepts that are used in the approach to see the process of forming health inequality.
Learning Objectives
- To provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze the mechanisms of social inequalities in health across the life course
Expected Learning Outcomes
- be able to conduct studies and present its results in the form of an oral presentation with visual material
- be able to juxtapose theoretical concepts with the analysis of social inequalities in health
- be able to read and critically discuss academic articles with different empirical study designs
- know the main sociological concepts and theories related to social inequalities in health across the life course
Course Contents
- Introduction
- Сonceptual life-course mechanisms
- Cumulative advantage/disadvantage (CAD) theory and the age as leveller (AAL) hypothesis
- The influence of social context on health across the life course
- Integrate life course approach Into health disparities interventions
Assessment Elements
- Participation in class discussionsStudents are responsible for notifying the teacher of their absence due to an extenuating circumstance or illness prior to the missed class (by email or in-person). Classes missed due to illness or an extenuating circumstance are excluded from the calculation of the accumulated grade. Students who missed more than 12 seminar hours due to illness or an extenuating circumstance have to provide home assignments for missed seminars in a written form notlater than 2 weeks before the final examination. Assignments, requirements and recommendations are provided individually by email upon request from the student. The in-class participation part of the grade is not subject to retakes. Seminar grades for tests and presentations can be improved at the beginning of the next seminar by giving a short presentation (the topic must be agreed with the teacher in advance). Retakes are allowed within the 15-day period after the seminar (at the next seminar). If homework/presentation is submitted after the deadline, the grade is 10% lower. If homework/presentation is submitted after the deadline a day or more later, the grade is 30% lower.
- In-class assignments (5 tests)The grade will be calculated as an average score for all types of written activities during the seminars.
- Group presentation in class
- Final presentation at the end of the course (Final exam)
Interim Assessment
- 2021/2022 2nd module0.25 * In-class assignments (5 tests) + 0.25 * Participation in class discussions + 0.25 * Group presentation in class + 0.25 * Final presentation at the end of the course (Final exam)
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Handbook of Life Course Health Development. (2018). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47143-3
- Social background and the demographic life course: Cross-national comparisons. (2021). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67345-1
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Back, K. W., & American Association for the Advancement of Science. (2018). Life Course : Integrative Theories And Exemplary Populations. New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2204186