IHP Health and Community: Globalization, Culture and Care

- Multi-Country

Locations Throughout the World

  China

• All Other Areas in China: 
Changsha

  India

Bangalore,  Kerala

  South Africa

• Cape Town: 
Cape Town (Kaapstad)

  Switzerland

Basel

Term: Spring 
Dates: January-May 2010

Description: The hallmark of IHP's Health and Community program is a unique comparative approach in which participants study a thematic topic in several different countries over one semester. Experiential activities such as site visits and case studies complement interdisciplinary team teaching led by in-country and traveling faculty. Students also step out of the classroom to interact with activists, public figures, government and organizational leaders, as well as citizens from all walks of life who are directly involved in the themes explored. Homestays give students the opportunity to get to know local families and to become immersed in the culture and traditions of each country, creating lasting connections and memorable insights.

IHP Health and Community:
What are the forces that create good public health in some communities, and ill health in others? Why have health disparities within and across countries widened, even as modern health care has discovered the causes of many illnesses and prevented many deaths? IHPs Health and Community program strengthens students' ability to understand, interpret and compare the biological, ecological, economic, political and socio-cultural factors that affect human health. Students broaden their global perspective and deepen their skills in critical and comparative thinking, while gaining practical knowledge about:
- The health impacts of globalization
- Comparative health systems
- Governance and policy-making
- Public health issues and innovative strategies to address them
- Field-based research methods and analysis.

In city neighborhoods and rural villages, students learn to listen to and understand multiple voices: people in local communities, governing bodies and non-governmental agencies. Future health care leaders come away with the confidence to ask important questions, analyze alternatives and set priorities for achieving sustainable and just solutions.

KEY QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE ON THE PROGRAM:
- Is health a fundamental human right? If so, who is responsible for guaranteeing it?
- How can a deeper understanding of culture transform our view of health?
- What can be done about the health divide between rich and poor, urban and rural that exists in many countries?
- How do grassroots activism and top-down approaches conflict with or complement one another?

IHP encourages interested students speak with alumni to learn first hand about the value of the program. There is no better way to hear candidly about the quality of the program. Please contact IHP to obtain a full list of alumni contacts, sorted by program.

Highlights: Students will spend 1 week in Basel, Switzerland; 5 weeks in Bangalore and Kerala, India; 5 weeks in Changsha, China; and 5 weeks in Cape Town, South Africa.

Students receive 16 credits upon completion of the program. The courses are as follows:
- Globalization and Health
- Health, Culture and Community
- Public Health: From Biology to Policy
- Community Health Research Methods

The vast majority of the time students will be in homestays which will provide another critical window of understanding to each of the communities.

Below is a brief country program overview:

SWITZERLAND: BASEL
Discussions with officials, academics and activists involved with major global public health institutions, such as the World Health Organization and the Swiss Tropical Institute, will set the stage for understanding and challenging how global health power brokers and policymakers shape the experience of health and illness in countries around the world.

INDIA: KERALA AND BANGALORE
Indias unique culture, dramatic economic growth, dwindling natural resources and dynamic political landscape are important factors in the health of its communities. Examine the impact of urbanization, economic development and environmental degradation on the most elemental aspects of health water, food and shelter as well as Indias noted social, political and public health innovations and model projects.

CHINA: CHANGSHA
China has a history of unprecedented population growth, unsurpassed environmental degradation due to rapid economic development, and a rich, complex cultural landscape. The unique interplay between national agencies, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs in China gives insight into the powerful role of political structures in health policy and practice. Also notable is the fusion of traditional Chinese medicine and modern biomedicine. Examine these issues, as well as Chinese responses to air pollution, overpopulation and women's reproductive health.

SOUTH AFRICA: CAPE TOWN
Improving the health of communities in South Africa can be daunting in the face of deep racial, gender, and economic inequality. Explore the promises and the pitfalls of work in health and community through visits with traditional healers and health activists in rural areas, field research on child nutrition and political violence in urban townships, and lectures from academics and NGO staff.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: USD 23,650

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 30

Scholarships are Available. Each semester, IHP offers a limited number of grants to eligible students. These grants are awarded based on financial need. The grant funds are administered and made possible by IHP. Unfortunately, IHP is unable to provide full financial support to students. IHP grants, which generally range from $500 to $10,000, with average awards at $2,000, are meant to help defray the costs of international study and to assist students for whom a small amount of aid may mean the difference between studying abroad and staying home. For more information visit www.ihp.edu/aid

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network

International Honors Program's Mission Statement: The International Honors Program is in its 50th year of providing an unequaled opportunity for college students to examine the most significant social, political and environmental issues confronting countries and cultures around the world. The hallmark of IHP's programs is a unique comparative approach in which participants study a thematic topic in several different countries over one semester or full academic year. This multinational perspective allows students to analyze and contrast today's global conditions, evaluate issues and challenges, and compare solutions. The IHP experience engenders new questions and ideas, and prompts students to consider their lifelong roles in the global community. Themes such as public health, the environment, globalization, urban planning, governance, social justice and human rights are studied within the framework of the program. Offered in affiliation with SIT, the accredited higher education program of World Learning, IHP offers a rigorous curriculum enhanced by a diversity of learning methods and settings. Experiential activities such as site visits and case studies complement interdisciplinary team teaching led by in-country and traveling faculty. Students also step out of the classroom to interact with activists, public figures, government and organizational leaders, as well as citizens from all walks of life who are directly involved in the themes explored. Homestays give students the opportunity to get to know local families and to become immersed in the culture and traditions of each country, creating lasting connections and memorable insights. IHP participants are as broadly diverse as the places they visit and the people they meet. Personal backgrounds and areas of study vary widely among students, who come from all academic levels at colleges and universities across the USA, Canada and beyond.

Year Founded: 1958