HS 413F — Social Determinants to Health and Development: Introduction to Population Analytics

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit. Open to all degree programs at Heller.

Explores the consequences of population trends and dynamics that affect the wellbeing of families and nations. We examine policies meant to address the state of poverty and inequality, maternal and child health, aging, fertility, epidemiological transitions, workforce development, immigration, and other considerations. We analyze demographic data within specific populations such as children and youth, family, migrants and immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, and as they reflect or challenge existing social structures and norms including class, race, caste, and occupation. Every week of the course, comparisons are made between high-income countries (such as the US, Japan, and Germany) and low and middle-income countries (such as India, China, and South Africa). We have a “module within a module” on the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest areas of the US, where the legacies of enslavement are still palpable. The course is taught from an ethical perspective that helps us see the humanity behind data. Usually offered every year.
Laurence Simon