Medicine and Health in America

Medicine and Health in America explores major themes in the history of modern medicine, tracing the evolving experiences of health, disease, and the healing professions from the 18th century through the early 21st century. The course examines medicine and health within their broader social, cultural, and political contexts, highlighting the ways medicine has shaped—and been shaped by—power and authority.

Key topics include citizenship, nationalism, and imperialism; race, gender, and the body; capitalism and the medical marketplace; professionalization and expertise; crises and epidemics; technology and therapeutics; and the politics of labor and care.

Designed for students pursuing careers in health and medicine as well as those interested in the historical and political forces behind today’s U.S. healthcare system, the course provides a critical foundation for understanding the intersections of medicine, society, and power.