401071 Neighbourhoods and health (S) (WiSe 2010/2011)

In the course “Neighbourhoods and health” we will focus on the neighbourhood dimension of health and wellbeing, that is the “difference place makes to people”. Participants will be from Bielefeld (9 participants) and India (3 p.). The topic is interesting in two ways. Firstly it is possible to study the relationship between contexts (here: neighbourhoods) and health which is at the core of public health. Secondly, comparing the neighbourhood-health relationship in Germany and India offers students to develop an International Public Health Perspectives.

The course starts with a short introduction to International Public Health including the global distribution of morbidity/ mortality, its causes as well as current major topics in the field of International Public Health (e.g. Human Resources, Health Systems Financing). After that the Indian students will join the course which continues with an introductory session on India and Germany, which are very different not only regarding their culture, but also in their welfare level, social security system, health care system and social structure. Later on we will move on to our core topic by introducing a resource-based theory on the neighbourhood dimension of health.

Based on this theory students will independently work on selected topics. These include the:
1. definition of neighbourhoods (subjectively/ objectively)
2. historical change in neighbourhood conditions as well as health effects
3. description of health relevant domains in selected neighbourhoods based on fieldwork (Bielefeld) as well as literature and own experience (India).

In addition we will invite external lectures to share their knowledge in terms of (a) data availability, (b) other countries than India and Germany and (c) neighbourhood management experiences.
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Participants of the course will have the opportunity to:
1. work in an intercultural team
2. further develop their skills in academic English
3. deepen their knowledge of International Public Health
4. further improve their Public Health skills (i.e. theorizing the context-health relationship, verifying data availability, collecting data based on guided fieldwork, data analysis and English writing, peer reviewing and publishing in English language on the Wiki of the International Public Health Partnership, http://iph-partnership.org)

Participants will have to be fluent in English. We also expect the participants to engage in the mentoring of the Indian guest students. Participants of the course also have the opportunity to apply for 3 visiting scholarships to one of our Indian partner universities in February and March 2011.

Requirements for participation, required level

Mindestens drei Module der Vertiefungsmodule 6 - 10 müssen erfolgreich abgeschlossen sein.

Sehr gute Englischkenntnisse!!!