ANTH 4610 .017 Cultural Aspects of Disease
Instructor: Diane Ballinger, PhD
Phone: 940-369-7854
Email: ballinger@pacs.unt.edu
Office Location: 330 Chilton Hall
Classroom: MWF ENV 190
Meeting days and time: MWF, 12:00-12:50 pm
Office Hours M 1:00-1:30 and by appointment.
Plagiarism and Cheating. The department of anthropology does not tolerate
plagiarism, cheating, or helping others to cheat. Students suspected of any of these
will be provided the opportunity for a hearing; a guilty finding will merit an
automatic “F” in the course. In addition, I reserve the right to pursue further
disciplinary action within the UNT legal system, which may result in dismissal from
the university. Plagiarism is defined as misrepresenting the work of others (whether
published or not) as your own. It may be inadvertent or intentional. Any facts,
statistics, quotations, or paraphrasing of any information that is not common
knowledge, should be cited. For more information on paper writing, including how to
avoid plagiarism, and how to use citations, see
http://www.unt.edu/anthropology/writing.htm. For information on the University’s
policies regarding academic integrity and dishonesty, see the UNT Center for Student
Rights and Responsibilities, http://www.unt.edu/csrr/.
The Department of Anthropology does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability or disabled veteran of the
Vietnam Era status in its educational programs, activities, admissions or
employment practices. Questions and complaints should be directed to the Equal
Opportunity Office (817) 565-2456. TDD access if available through Relay Texas: 1800-735-2989 (TDD) callers.
Course Description This course is a survey of the evolution of various human
diseases though time and how humans adapted to them. It focuses on Evolution and
Evolutionary Medicine as a tool for treating and understanding diseases and some of
the genetic adaptations humans have made and how they are now maladaptive as
culture and environmental change has occurred.
Grading: There will be a Midterm and Final paper. The paper topic will be to
choose a disease or condition that we discuss in class and analyze its breadth and
the effects it is having on modern populations. It will be 5-7 pages, typed, double
spaced. Possible points for both test and paper are 200 before averaging. Usual
breakdown of grades applies.
Required Text book: Evolutionary Medicine. Trevathan et al., Oxford U Press.
Required readings:
Smith
Intersection of Biology and Culture.
Fat, Diet and Evolution In: When Culture and Biology Collide, 2002,
New Jersey: Rutgers U. Press.
Eaton, Shostak and Konner
Stone Agers in the Fast Lane: Chronic Degenerative Diseases in
Evolutionary Perspective
Oliwenstein Dr. Darwin.
Matorelle
Body Size, Adaptation and Function
Boutté
Genetic Prophecy: Promises and Perils for Late-Onset Diseases
Armelagos
Health and Disease in Prehistoric Populations in Transition
McKeown
Determinants of Health
Brown
Cultural Adaptations to Endemic Malaria in Sardinia
Desowitz
The Fly That Would Be King
Farmer
Social Inequalities and Emerging Infectious Disease
In: Peter J. Brown, 1998, Understanding and Applying Medical
Anthropology, McGraw-Hill.
McElroy & Townsend
The Ecology of Health and Disease
Genes, Culture and Adaptation In: Medical Anthropology in
Ecological Perspective, 1996, Boulder: Westview Press.
Diamond
Lethal Gift of Livestock.
Lappé
Ecosystem Disruption and Disease
Understanding Natural Selection
Lethal Germs
Malaria
Joralemon
Recognizing Biological, Social, and Cultural Interconnections. In:
Exploring Medical Anthropology, 2006. Second Edition, New York:
Pearson.
Readings are on Electronic Reserve in library.
There will be one in-class test and a paper on one of the diseases that we cover in
class. If you have a topic not covered in class, see me. Each will contribute 100
points to the grade. Participation points will add another 50 points earned by turning
in summaries of the readings, science news stories, attendance and discussion
participation. Total points for the class are a possible 250.
This class has a lot of reading and attendance is required if you want to do well
in it.
January 18
January 20
Introduction to the class.
The Ecology of Health and Disease
Intersection of Biology and Culture.
January 22-27 Ecosystem Disruption and Disease, Understanding Natural Selection,
Genes, Culture and Adaptation
Jan 30-Feb 3 Fat, Diet and Evolution, Dr Darwin,.
Feb 6-10
Body Size, Adaptation and Function, Determinants of Health
Feb 13-17
Health and Disease in Populations in Transition,
Lethal Gift of Live Stock, The Fly That Would Be King.
Feb 20 -24 Sickle Cell Anemia and Thalassemia (handout given in class).
Feb 27 Midterm Review
Mar 1 Midterm
Mar 6 -10 Malaria, Cultural Adaptations to Malaria in Sardinia
Mar 13 – 19 Semester Break
Mar 20-24 Genetic prophecy, Chapter 1 and 2 Trevathan, Choose last paper topic.
Mar 28-31 Evolutionary perspectives on Chronic Degenerative Diseases, Stone
Agers in the fast Lane
April 3-7 Lethal germs., Chapter 5, Trevathan.
April 10-14 Chapter 9, Recognizing Biological, Social, and Cultural Connections.
April 17-21 Chapter 10 and 12, Trevathan.
April 24-28 Chapter 14 and 15, Trevathan
Papers Due by May 5
No final Exam
The instructor reserves to change the syllabus to accommodate course
requirements if needed.