Enduring Questions Core Pilot: The Body in Sickness and Health
Literature Core (ENGL 1702) and Social Science Core (SOCY 1702) courses
Overview: Our bodies are central to how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. The
physical changes we experience through growth, pregnancy, accident, illness, disability, and
aging – the joy and suffering our bodies bring to us – deepen and complicate our understanding
of what it means to be human. The morally and psychologically complex act of caring for others
in the context of bodily vulnerability serves as an important foundation for human
understandings of empathy, community, and social justice. These linked core courses emerge
from the disciplines of Nursing and English to explore the psycho-social dimensions of illness
and health, addressing the role of the body in shaping identity, social roles, ethical relationships,
and the fundamental dynamics of human subjectivity.
These paired classes will meet separately, but are connected by a shared set of questions about
the human body and a shared set of learning goals, as well as several common texts. In addition
to regular class meetings for each course, we will meet four times during the semester for
evening reflection sessions (selected Thursdays from 6 – 8 pm).
Enduring Questions:
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•
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•
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What systems of meaning (physiological, psycho-social, cultural, economic, political,
philosophical, and aesthetic) frame our understanding of the embodied experience?
What is the relationship between the body and the mind (consciousness, subjectivity, the
spirit, etc.)?
How do we reconcile society’s formulation of our bodies with our own experience of
embodiment?
How do we live to our full human potential in the context of bodily changes, sickness,
disability and aging?
What is our responsibility to one another in the face of human vulnerabilities such as
aging, illness, poverty, and disability? How do we develop and sustain empathy? What is
our responsibility to care for—to care about—the vulnerable in our society?
Shared Learning Goals:
• Understand the central role of physical embodiment in the human experience; highlight
the cultural and critical concerns that shape our understanding of the body.
• Define the way in which different understandings of the relationship between the body
and the mind (consciousness, subjectivity, the spirit, etc.) shape our perception of what
the body is and how it operates.
• Interrogate the assumptions behind different ways of framing or approaching the body,
including literature and medicine, the social sciences and the humanities, the global and
the local, the theoretical and the experiential.
• Analyze the way that literary, cultural, and artistic texts portray embodied experiences,
including illness, trauma, pregnancy, disability and aging.
• Demonstrate the ability to examine individual assumptions, values, and experiences of
embodiment; integrate this knowledge into a sense of one’s own way of living in the
world and caring for others.
BOSTON COLLEGE
William F Connell School of Nursing
Course Number:
Course Title:
Credits:
Course Hours:
Class Room:
Co-requisites:
Faculty:
Office Hours:
SOCY 1702.01 Fall 2015
The Body in Sickness and in Health
3 (F)
M-W 3:00-4:15 pm, Th 6-8 pm Reflection Sections
This course is a minimum of 45 hours
Stokes 103S
This course is taken with ENGL 1702.01
Jane Ashley, PhD RN
242 Maloney Hall
ashley@bc.edu
617-869-5062 (cell) or 617-363-0338 (home)
TBA
Course Description
This course explores the central role our bodies play in our perceptions of ourselves, our social
roles, and our relationships with others. We will investigate the physiological, psychosocial and
cultural impact of body changes in normal growth and development (including pregnancy and
aging) as well as in illness, trauma and disability. Topics include eating disorders, pain, the lived
experience of chronic illness, the effects of trauma and end of life issues. The ethical and
emotional aspects of empathy and caregiving—both for ourselves and for others will be
explored. We will pay particular attention to the perspectives of patients and caregivers
(including nurses, family members, social workers and doctors) as well as the supporting
research from nursing and other health disciplines.
Course Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
Discuss the concepts of health, illness, caring and empathy and give examples that demonstrate
the complexity and interrelatedness of the concepts.
Critique the various indicators of good health—for individuals and communities. Propose and
defend alternative indicators of health and well-being.
Discuss ways that the psychosocial-cultural dimensions of health and illness broaden and
complicate a strictly physiological understanding of the body.
Analyze the influence of various factors (environment, work conditions, social supports,
economic status, educational status etc.) on the health of individuals and communities.
Explain the importance of empathy and caregiving in a just and compassionate society.
Write analytical essays that respond to critical dialogues about the body with careful logic,
persuasive evidence and effective organization of ideas.
Texts
Chast, R. (2014). Can’t we talk about something more PLEASANT? New York: Bloomsbury.
Nealon, M.J. (2011). Beautiful unbroken: One nurse’s life. Minnesota: Graywolf Press.
Skloot, R. (2010). The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: Broadway Books.
Articles/Essays
All articles and essays are available on the SOCY 1702 Canvas site---click on Modules for
weekly readings. Please print the readings and bring to class.
Boo, K. (2006). Swamp nurse. New Yorker, February 6, 2006.
Ehrenreich, B. (2008). Scrubbing in Maine. In C. Malacrida & J. Low (Eds.), Sociology of the
Body (pp. 227-233). Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Fink, S. (2009, August 25). The deadly choices at Memorial. New York Times.
Gerschick, T. & Miller, A. (2008). Coming to terms: Masculinity and physical disability. In C.
Malacrida & J. Low (Eds.), Sociology of the Body (pp. 246-251). Ontario: Oxford University
Press.
Gwande, A. (2014). Things fall apart. In A. Gwande. Being Mortal (pp. 25-54). New York:
Metropolitan Books.
Gwande, A. (2014). Dependence. In A. Gwande. Being Mortal (pp. 55-78). New York:
Metropolitan Books.
Gwande, A. (2014). Letting go. In A. Gwande. Being Mortal (pp. 149-190). New York:
Metropolitan Books.
Gwande, A. (2006). The score. New Yorker, October 9, 2006.
Gwande, A. (1999). When doctors make mistakes. New Yorker, February 1, 1999.
Haber, D. (2006). Life review: Implementation, theory, research and therapy. International
Journal of Aging and Human Development, 63(2): 153-171.
Kent, D. (2008). Somewhere a mockingbird. In C. Malacrida & J. Low (Eds.), Sociology of the
Body (pp. 242-245). Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Kolbert, E. (2015). The terrible teens. New Yorker, August 31, 2015.
Martin, K. (2008). Becoming a gendered body: Practices in preschools. In C. Malacrida & J.
Low (Eds.), Sociology of the Body (pp. 205-211). Ontario: Oxford University Press.
O’Rourke, M. (2013). What’s wrong with me? New Yorker, August 26, 2013.
O’Rourke, M. (2011). Story’s end. New Yorker, March 7, 2011.
Richards, E. (2015). The evolution of physical activity promotion. American Journal of
Nursing, 115, 50-54.
Synnott, A. (2008). Body: Tomb, temple, machine and self. In C. Malacrida & J. Low (Eds.),
Sociology of the Body (pp. 38-44). Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Remen, R. (2015). Finding new eyes. Retrieved August 26, 2015, from
http://www.rachelremen.com/finding-new-eyes/
Zitzelsberger, H. (2008). (In)visibility: Accounts of embodiment of women with physical
disabilities and differences. In C. Malacrida & J. Low (Eds.), Sociology of the Body (pp.
252-256). Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Website
www.healthypeople.gov (Healthy People 2020)
References
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). (2009). Washington
D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Evaluation: the breakdown for the course grade is listed below. As a group, we will confer on
the due dates for the assignments. Once the due dates have been set, you will be expected to
complete your assignment on time. Details and guidelines for the course assignments can be
found on the Canvas course site.
Reflective Journals (multiple): 25%
Life Review: 20%
Presentation: 15%
Attendance and Class Participation: 15%
Take Home Final: 25%
Course Policies/Information: This syllabus is a work in progress and minor changes during the
semester are inevitable. Whenever possible, students will be given advance notice of any
changes made to the syllabus.
Attendance
Class attendance and participation in class discussions are very important to me. If you are sick
or have an unexpected emergency, please send me an email before class to explain your
situation. Otherwise, I will see you in class!
Readings for the Course & Class Participation
Class participation is part of your course grade, but aside from that, your participation is essential
to creating a lively, thought-provoking and meaningful class. I selected readings that raise a
number of different ideas and provide various perspectives on the topics we’ll be discussing.
Please read the directions “Preparing for class” on the Canvas course site.
Accommodations
If you are a student with a documented disability seeking reasonable accommodations in this
course, please register with the appropriate BC Office. For those with learning disabilities,
contact Kathy Duggan [kathleen.duggan@bc.edu], at The Connors Family Learning Center. For
all other disabilities, contact Paulette Durrett (paulette.durrett@bc.edu). Appropriate
documentation and advanced notice are required for accommodations.
Academic Integrity and Citation of Sources
Students are expected to produce original work for this class and to document appropriately
when using outside source material. Each student is expected to read and follow the policy on
academic integrity on the University website at:
http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/integrity.html
For this course, we will use the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association,
6th edition to format papers and cite sources. There is a power point presentation on the Canvas
course site that gives examples of correct APA format. The APA Publication Manual is
available in the library.
Evening Reflection
You are required to attend the 4 evening reflections for this course. This semester they are
scheduled on Thursdays from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Class Schedule & Readings for each class
Week
1
Date
Monday Aug. 31
Wednesday Sept. 2
Content
Introductions
What is Health? The “normal” body?
Readings: Body: Tomb, Temple, Machine, Self
& Terrible Teens
2
Monday Sept 7
Wednesday Sept 9
Labor Day
Interviewing—Conducting a Life Review
Readings: Haber: Life Review Implementation
3
Monday Sept 14
Body Changes: Indicators of Health and Well-being:
Healthy People 2020 web site
Body Changes: Pregnancy & Childbirth
Readings: The Score
Reflection: Simulation Childbirth
Wednesday Sept 16
Thursday Sept 17
4
Monday Sept 21
Wednesday Sept 23
5
Monday Sept 28
Wednesday Sept 30
Healthy Baby
Readings: Swamp Nurse
Becoming a Gendered Body: Practices in Preschool
Mind Body Connection: stress & mental health
Readings: What’s Wrong with Me
The Aging Body
Readings: Things Fall Apart & Dependence & Can’t
we talk about something more pleasant
Aging Body
Readings: Can’t we talk about something more
pleasant, Things Fall Apart & Dependence
6
Monday Oct 5
Wednesday Oct 7
Thursday Oct 8
Empathy & Caregiving
Readings: Beautiful Unbroken
Story’s End
Empathy & Caregiving
Readings: Beautiful Unbroken
Reflection: Life Review—Lessons Learned?
7
Monday Oct 12
Wednesday Oct 14
Columbus Day
Empathy & Caregiving: Cancer
Readings: Beautiful Unbroken
Letting Go
Narrative Matters
8
Monday Oct 19
HIV/AIDS & Ethics
Readings: TBA
Ethics
Reading: The Deadly Choices at Memorial
Wednesday Oct 21
9
Monday Oct 26
Wednesday Oct 28
Thursday Oct 29
10
Monday Nov 2
Wednesday Nov 4
11
Monday Nov 9
Wednesday Nov 11
12
Monday Nov 16
Culture & Poverty
Readings: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Frontline Program: Dr. Hotspot
Culture & Poverty
Readings: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Trauma
Readings: TBA
Trauma---Boston Marathon Bombing
Readings: TBA
Thursday Nov 19
Disability
Readings: Somewhere a Mockingbird and
(In)visibility
Disability
Readings: Coming to Terms: Masculinity
Reflection: Murder Ball
Monday Nov 23
Student Presentations
Wednesday Nov 18
13
Ethics/Culture
Readings: When Doctors Make Mistakes
Ethics/Culture
Readings: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Reflection: Panel of Caregivers
14
15
Wednesday Nov 24
Thanksgiving Break
Monday Nov 30
Wednesday Dec 2
Abusing Our Bodies
Reading: Scrubbing in Maine
Student Presentations
Monday Dec 7
Wednesday Dec 9
Student Presentations
The “normal” body? And Conclusions