Social Work and Public Health in Third World Countries

Course Code: HS622A

Institution:

Care Science

Revision:

1.1

For students admitted spring 2012   spring 2011   spring 2010   spring 2009   fall 2007  

Other set versions

Approval

The course was established 22 February 2007.
This course syllabus (version 1.1) was approved 20 October 2009 by the Faculty Board of Health and Society .
The syllabus is valid from 18 January 2010. Replacement for course syllabus ratified 22 February 2007.

Education level

Second cycle

Course description

The objective is to give students a critical understanding of Third World development issues, social and public health problems, social and public health policies and planning, and of foreign cultures and their background, in order to (1) facilitate working as a development worker in Developing Countries within the field of social work and public health, and (2) better understand immigrants to the students´ home countries and so better work with them.
The course should also stimulate an engagement in the predicament of poor countries and poor and powerless people.

Advancement in relation to the degree requirements

Master level.

Entry requirements

1. Bachelor´s degree consisting of 180 hp, with 90 hp in social work, public health or nursing science.
2. The equivalent of English B in Swedish secondary school.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students should be able to
- discuss (lack of) development in DCs and LDCs with the help of appropriate development theories and strategies and/or stakeholder analysis,
- explain what globalisation entails, its driving forces and its effects, positive and negative, in relation to DCs,
- analyse backgrounds to conflicts or (lack of) development at multiple levels of explanation,
- analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of social and public health policies and welfare systems in a country, and suggest remedies at policy and practical social work level.

Assessments

One compulsory group-assignment.
Two individual papers.
Compulsory participation in seminars and exercises.

The grades used are pass with distinction (VG, equivalent to A or B below), pass (G, equivalent to C, D or E below) and fail (U, equivalent to FX or F below) as specified below:
A = Excellent – outstanding performance with only minor errors
B = Very good – above average standard but with some errors
C = Good – generally sound work with a number of notable errors
D = Satisfactory – fair but with significant shortcomings
E = Sufficient – performance meets the minimum criteria
FX = Fail – some more work required before credit can be awarded
F = Fail – considerable further work is required

Examinations will be conducted through combinations of individual examinations and seminars. Clinical practice will be assessed using a clinical assessment form which demonstrates nursing practice development.

Examination re-sits
Students who fail examinations have two further opportunities to re-sit. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to re-sit these examinations during the course to avoid subsequent interruption to follow on courses. If the course ceases or goes through major restructure, students retain the right to two re-sit examinations based on the original course content.

Course content

The course will discuss theories of development and the effect on development and social work of international relations and of internal structures and conditions in developing nations. The effect of development cooperation and aid will be discussed, both state-centred, market based, and civil-society based, including here the role of NGOs.
Central topics and perceptions and definitions of social policy and its relation to development issues, and perceptions of social and health problems and how to deal with them, as well as topics concerning social welfare- and social order problems, and food, nutrition and health issues. And accordingly are discussed necessary and feasible interventions in social work and public health.
Finally will be included practical skills, applied communication and "good manners".

Learning activities

Lectures by researchers and practitioners. Student-active methods, groupwork and seminars.

Grading system

Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG). ECTS grading system can be used on students demand.

Reading list and other media

Action Contre la Faim (2005): Water, sanitation and hygiene – for populations at risk. Paris: Hermann editeurs. Selection from total 750 pgs. (downloadable).

Braathen, Einar, Morten Bøas, and Gjermund Sæther (eds) (2000): Ethnicity kills?: the politics of war, peace, and ethnicity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Basingstoke: Macmillan. (e-book). Selection from total 206 p.

Chambers, Robert (2005): Ideas for Development. London: Earthscan. (e-book). Selection from total 259 p

Chambers, Robert (2006): Poverty Unperceived: Traps, Biases and Agenda. Working Paper 270 July 2006, IDS, U. of Sussex, Brighton. 48 pgs. (downloadable)

Chambers, Robert (2007): From PRA to PLA and Pluralism. Practice and Theory. Working Paper 286 July 2007, IDS, U of Sussex, Brighton. 39 pgs. (downloadable)

Cox, David & Manohar Pawar (2006): International Social Work – Issues, Strategies, and Programs. London: Sage. 415 pgs. (chs. 1,3,5 downloadable, book can be read on-line at Google)

Hall, Anthony & James Midgley (2004): Social Policy for Development. London: Sage. All of 280 pgs.
Lindstrand, Ann, Staffan Bergström, Hans Rosling, Birgitta Rubenson & Bo Stenson (2006): Global Health - An introductory textbook. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Selection from total 326 pgs.

Helman, Cecil G. (2007): Culture, Health and Illness (5th ed.) London: Hodder Arnold. Selection from total 501 pgs.

Hylland Eriksen, Thomas (2001): Small Places, Large Issues. An introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology. 2nd. Edition. London ; Sterling, Va. : Pluto Press. (e-book,). Selection from total 342 pgs.

Mikkelsen, Britha (2005): Methods for Development Work and Research. A New Guide for Practitioners, Second Edition. London: Sage. Selection from total 384 pgs.

Moyo, Dambisa (2009): Dead Aid: Why aid is not working and how there is another way for Africa. London: Allen Lane. 208 pgs.

Nichols, Paul (1991): Social Survey Methods: A Fieldguide for Development Workers. Oxford: Oxfam. 131 pgs. (downloadable).

Potter, Robert B. et al (2008): Geographies of Development, 3rd edition. Harlow: Pearson. Selection from total 508 pgs.

Pronk, Jan: Aid as Catalyst in Development and Change vol. 32(2001): 611-629

Svenska regeringskancelliet/UD 2005: Making It Happen. Sweden’s report to the MDGs 2004 (downloadable) 50p.

Werner, David (2006) Where there is no doctor, a village health care handbook (new revised edition). Berkeley: Hesperian Foundation. Selection from total 418 pgs. (downloadable).

World Bank (2004): Monitoring and Evaluation: Some Tools, Methods and Approaches. World Bank, Operations Evaluation Department. 26 pgs. (downloadable)

Additional articles etc. at teachers choice.

Course evaluation

Evaluation is an ongoing dialogue during the course. Formally, there is at the end a written evaluation with feedback.