Kristen McHenry, PhD she/her/hers

Cross-disciplinary debates about health, wellness and health care. The course challenges students to look critically at health care practices and understand the complexities of health policy; understand the impact of culture and historical change on understandings of health, illness and the body; and see how globalizing economies and structures of inequality shape illness, health care, and individual well-being.

An introduction to women¿s health in the United States that adopts an intersectional feminist lens to understand dimensions underlying disease and illness.  We conduct a critical examination of the causes of health inequity, evaluate strategies by government and political advocacy groups to improve women¿s health outcomes. Course examines the following issues: mental health, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, disability, and reproductive justice.

An introduction to questions about the status of race in diverse spheres of biomedical research today.  We will examine how contemporary biomedical research is impacted by racism and sexism and other systems of oppression.  We will approach race, gender, and sexuality as biosocial constructs, explore key debates about the relationship between biology and society and how  social inequalities become embodied.    

In-depth exploration of a subject chosen for the semester that addresses an aspect of the social and cultural determinants of human health and/or health disparities.

In-depth exploration of a subject chosen for the semester that addresses an aspect of the social and cultural determinants of human health and/or health disparities.

Semester-long internship in community-based organization that addresses an aspect of human health and well-being. Work is supervised by on-site sponsor as well as instructor. Students gain and reflect on work experience and prepare themselves for next steps in defining and achieving their career goals.

Semester-long internship in community-based organization that addresses an aspect of human health and well-being. Work is supervised by on-site sponsor as well as instructor. Students gain and reflect on work experience and prepare themselves for next steps in defining and achieving their career goals.