Students

ANTH8032 – Global Health

2026 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lisa Wynn
lisa.wynn@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MDevStud or MPH or 30cp at 8000 level or above or (ANTH816 or ANTH8016)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Global health recognises a holistic understanding of health that transcends borders and encompasses the links and transnational movements of people, materials and ideas. To affect change at the individual, community and global levels, we need to appreciate how human biology and health are shaped by the larger contexts in which they are embedded and the dynamic and uneven circulation of resources, technology, culture, values and people. In this unit, we will examine the role of social, political-economic and environmental forces that shape the patterning and the distribution of disease and health across communities and take a critical perspective when examining the underlying value systems in biomedical science, policy, health interventions, and global health practice. This unit offers a framework for understanding the complex ways that health and disease intersect within a range of global contexts, institutions and practices.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Synthesise the common anthropological, epidemiological, historical, policy, and political-economic approaches to major global health problems.
  • ULO2: Discuss and evaluate the major issues confronting global health, including their trends, determinants, and effect on individuals and populations.
  • ULO3: Describe the global burden of disease, emerging global health problems, the causes and control of epidemics, and communicable and non-communicable diseases at the global level.
  • ULO4: Identify the role of poverty, inequality, and structural violence in global health contexts and how health can be distributed unequally within and between populations.
  • ULO5: Describe the particular health needs of vulnerable populations.
  • ULO6: Identify and evaluate the complex role and impact of policy, global institutions, non-governmental organizations, and major funders in global health.

General Assessment Information

The following is the Faculty of Arts special consideration policy, and applies to all units in the faculty:

"Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of '0' (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-time sensitive assessment (incl. essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic."

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Research essay 40% No 05/10/2026 Individual Yes Open
Presentation 30% No Weeks 10-12 Individual No Open
Final exam 30% No 03/11/2026 Individual No Observed

Research essay

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 54 hours
Due: 05/10/2026
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Short essay and reflection about public health and social media
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise the common anthropological, epidemiological, historical, policy, and political-economic approaches to major global health problems.
  • Discuss and evaluate the major issues confronting global health, including their trends, determinants, and effect on individuals and populations.
  • Describe the global burden of disease, emerging global health problems, the causes and control of epidemics, and communicable and non-communicable diseases at the global level.
  • Identify the role of poverty, inequality, and structural violence in global health contexts and how health can be distributed unequally within and between populations.
  • Describe the particular health needs of vulnerable populations.
  • Identify and evaluate the complex role and impact of policy, global institutions, non-governmental organizations, and major funders in global health.

Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Weeks 10-12
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

One weekly presentation of topic and reading in class
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise the common anthropological, epidemiological, historical, policy, and political-economic approaches to major global health problems.
  • Discuss and evaluate the major issues confronting global health, including their trends, determinants, and effect on individuals and populations.

Final exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 22 hours
Due: 03/11/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

Final exam
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the global burden of disease, emerging global health problems, the causes and control of epidemics, and communicable and non-communicable diseases at the global level.
  • Identify the role of poverty, inequality, and structural violence in global health contexts and how health can be distributed unequally within and between populations.
  • Describe the particular health needs of vulnerable populations.
  • Identify and evaluate the complex role and impact of policy, global institutions, non-governmental organizations, and major funders in global health.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Seminars: Join your classmates for engaging and interactive postgraduate medical anthropology seminars! These sessions are designed for lively student participation, and your presence is key to making the most of this experience. In 2024, our seminars will take place in a dynamic active learning space. While recordings of the lecture components of seminars will be available for occasional absences, nothing beats the vibrant discussions and insights shared in person. We strongly recommend attending in person to fully experience the enriching conversations and collaborative atmosphere. We look forward to seeing you there! 

Readings: Starting from Week 2, you are expected to immerse yourself in the weekly readings, which are your gateway to deeper understanding and meaningful discussions. You can find all the seminar readings on iLearn, and you can download them by logging into the MQ library website. Should you encounter any difficulty locating a reading (after searching the library database), don’t hesitate to reach out to the library at lib.reserve@mq.edu.au or contact the unit convenor. We're here to support your learning journey and ensure you have all the resources you need!

Assessment submission: All written assessments will be submitted online via iLearn; your oral presentation will be during the seminar. See iLearn for details.

Unit Schedule

Below is a list of the weekly seminar topics. Please consult iLearn for exact schedule details.

  1. Introduction to Global Health: Scales, Infrastructures, Ideologies and Culture in Medicine and Health
  2. Colonialism and Global Health
  3. Biopower and Medicalisation
  4. Defining (Ab)Normal and Culture-Bound Diseases: Global Case Studies in Mental Health
  5. Noncommunicable Disease, Neoliberal 'Responsibilisation', and Health
  6. Infectious Disease on Global Scales
  7. Ethics Codes and Global Health Research: 'Mystery Shopper' Methods Case Studies
  8. Qualitative Research Methods and Global Health: Ethnography and Cultural Domains
  9. Activism and Politics in Global Health Research

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook