ANTH373

What are toxic exposures and how do they impact human health? From an anthropological perspective, the answers to these questions are important, but not straightforward. This Tier II undergraduate course combines medical and environmental anthropology with science and technology studies to develop a critical perspective on environmental health. Through readings, film, discussion, activities and guest lectures, course participants will explore three areas: 1) the history of toxic exposures, including major environmental disasters such as Chernobyl, Bhopal and Fukushima; 2) the politics of toxic exposures, including a discussion of how gradual economic and industrial development often results in the uneven distribution of toxic body burdens or \"slow violence\", and; 3) the uncertainty surrounding toxic exposures, including the contested illnesses and impure sciences that emerge from toxic settings around the world. Building on the foundations of Tier I anthropology courses, this course introduces students to the unique ways that anthropologists study environmental health, science, and activism.

GE - T2-INDV (Tier 2 Individuals & Societies)