UG (Level 6) Description

This cross-disciplinary module will draw on expertise in the Medical Anthropology Dept and the Division of Medicine to examine emerging themes concerning Nutrition, Health and Culture. Building on expertise in biosocial medical anthropology and medical research focused on nutrition you will examine cutting edge concerns and topics as these relate to cultural aspects of food, health and well-being. The module uniquely combines long standing expertise in anthropology on the cultural meaning of food, eating and health with those working in the science and medicine of nutrition to develop more robust cross- disciplinary dialogue and exchange that can address urgent global health care challenges.

Jointly taught by those in Medical Anthropology and the Division of Medicine at UCL students will be provided with cross disciplinary perspectives and expected in their learning engagements and assessments to develop an interdisciplinary biosocial approaches to Nutrition, Health and Culture.

 

PG (Level 7) Description

This cross-disciplinary module will draw on expertise in the Medical Anthropology Dept and the Division of Medicine to examine emerging themes concerning Nutrition, Health and Culture. Building on expertise in biosocial medical anthropology and medical research focused on nutrition you will examine cutting edge concerns and topics as these relate to food, health and well-being. It uniquely combines long standing expertise in anthropology on the cultural meaning of food, eating and health with those working in the science and medicine of nutrition to develop more robust cross-disciplinary dialogue and exchange that can address urgent global health care challenges.

Jointly taught by those in Medical Anthropology and the Division of Medicine at UCL students will be provided with cross disciplinary perspectives and expected in their learning engagements and assessments to develop an interdisciplinary biosocial approaches to Nutrition, Health and Culture.

 

*Module Content:

The module will introduce students to a comparative anthropology of nutrition and its effects on human health. Drawing on relevant research in anthropology and nutrition the course will enable students to gain an understanding of and develop a biosocial perspective on health, nutrition and culture.

 

 

Topics addressed will include:


	Globalisation, Hunger and Obesity
	

	Food Cultures, Religion and Identity
	

	Longevity, Ageing and Wellbeing
	

	Early Nutrition, Development and the Life Course
	

	Food and Sustainability in the Anthropocene
	
*Learning Outcomes:

UG:

Having completed the module, the students will


	have a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationship between culture, nutrition and food from a cross-disciplinary and biosocial perspective
	

	be able to understand and critically apply and consider the relevance of a biosocial and bio cultural approach in examining nutrition and health and how these approaches are related to broader themes in these respective disciplines.
	
	
	appreciate how food stimulates cultural change and be able to critically evaluate the relevance of food in a biosocial context.
	
 


	have a critical awareness of how rich ethnographic comparative perspective on nutrition, health and culture can be combined with insights from medicine and biology.
	
	
	understand how cross-disciplinary approaches to health, nutrition and culture are relevant to public health and policy.
	

	have gained a number of transferable skills including: independent learning (including thinking, critical and synoptic skills); communication and presentation skills, peer collaboration, time planning and critical analysis.
	
PG

Having completed the module, the students will


	have a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the interrelationship between culture, nutrition and food from a cross -disciplinary and biosocial perspective.
	
	
	be able to understand and critically apply and consider the relevance of a biosocial and bio cultural approach in examining nutrition and health at an advanced level and consider how these approaches are related to broader themes in these respective disciplines. This includes critically evaluating methodologies relevant to approaches in medical science and biosocial medical anthropology in examination of health, nutrition and culture.
	
 


	appreciate how food stimulates cultural change and be able to critically evaluate the relevance of food in both biosocial and health contexts at an advanced level.
	
	
	have a critical awareness of how rich ethnographic comparative perspective on nutrition, health and culture can be combined with insights from medicine and biology.
	
 


	To appreciate and reflect on how cross-disciplinary approaches to health, nutrition and culture are relevant to public health and policy.
	
 


	have gained a number of transferable skills including: independent learning (including thinking, critical and synoptic skills); communication and presentation skills, peer collaboration, time planning and critical analysis.
	
 

*Delivery Method:

The module will be jointly taught by staff in Medical Anthropology and the Division of Medicine at UCL. Across the course students will have contributions from staff from both these disciplinary fields examining emerging key themes in Nutrition, Health and Culture.

The module will be delivered using a combination of pre-recorded material as flipped lectures that will be accessed by students through our e-learning environment, Moodle. There will also be face-to-face seminars, tutorials and independent learning exercises. Students will develop mini projects/blogs focusing on one food group/type throughout the term. They will also give group presentations on cross-disciplinary topics drawing from a selection of pre-determined topics that they will present in the final week of term.

 

*Additional Information:

Brief overview of any formative assessments

Students will submit a 5 slide PPT reflecting on a personal food experience relevant to themes of the course. They will be provided with feedback from the course tutors. This formative exercise will help develop skills for summative group presentations.

 