Cultural meanings of health and disease are shaped not only by scientific and medical discourses but also by media and communication technologies. This course examines the role of media – from scientific instruments to public health campaigns to data visualization – in shaping what counts as normal and pathological; governmental logics of care, public understanding of biotechnology; and individual and collective contestations of biomedical knowledge. Readings are drawn from anthropology, history, science & technology studies, communication studies, and medical memoir.
Undergraduate Course