Syllabus

ANTH 298: Anthropological perspectives on pandemics past & present

Lectures: Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:00PM-2:50PM

Room: Online

Instructor: Lianne Tripp

Office:  3018 McCaffray Hall (Admin)

Contact: Lianne.Tripp@unbc.ca

Office Hours: By appointment (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)

*Please note that it will take me up to 48 hours to respond to emails. I will only respond to UNBC email addresses, where course code is included in subject header. I will not respond to emails about queries on information that is provided in this syllabus. I cannot guarantee that I will respond to emails on weekends. During the week leading up to assignment due dates, midterm, or exam, it may take me 3 or more days to respond to emails.

Course Description

Taking a biocultural anthropology approach, this course reviews the history of pandemics, both the factors contributing to epidemics and pandemics and the consequences of these pandemics (e.g. economic, and medical interventions). Optimizing on the open access research on the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the global, national, and population (age, sex, ethnicity) experiences is explored, as well as variation in implementation and enforcement of measures (e.g. social distancing, masks) and policies and their efficacy in the Canadian and global contexts. As the pandemic unfolds, projections about future hygiene and medical reforms will be made.

Please be advised: one of the main goals of this course is to provide students with basic numerical skill building and empirical analysis.

Learning outcomes

Please note that although that there will be an expectation of the course is to have an understanding of basic biology and disease rates, this is not a course in epidemiology, and the focus will not be on clinical epidemiology nor can we gain any more insight into sophisticated modelling about the current pandemic than the expert demographers and epidemiologists. As the COVID pandemic is an evolving research area, with ever changing information, facts about the coronavirus may change or deemed to be inaccurate later in the course.

Through lecture, complementary readings, and assignments, students will acquire knowledge on health and wellbeing across various populations, in both the historical and contemporary contexts. This course will primarily focus on a biocultural approach to the study of pandemics. This course will begin with a discussion of how to study diseases, to gain an appreciation of disease transmission, virulence, and susceptibility in the population setting. Then we will discuss historical pandemics, with the aim of understanding how the experiences of epidemics in the past are relevant today, and what have we learnt or not learnt from the past pandemics. The remainder of the course will focus on “hot” topics of COVID, either here in Canada or abroad, such as community mitigation strategies, with a particular in depth examination into the dilemma of the efficacy of the mask in preventing disease transmission, as well as high risk populations and the supposed wide array of COVID symptoms. The final assignment will build on one of the COIVD topics, or a topic of a student’s own choice, with the additional reflection on predictions for the future.

By the end of this course, students should be familiar with both quantitative and cultural approaches to evaluating and understating diseases and pandemics across local and global populations. Students should gain an understanding of holistic anthropological analysis and evolutionary theory and gain an appreciation for a wide array of risk factors for disease occurrence and poor health, both at the individual and population level, such as: biological variation, cultural practices, and city/town infrastructure. In addition, students will develop statistical reasoning skills for interpreting data, and acquire basic skills for researching literature on infectious diseases (through google scholar and the Geoffrey R Weller Library).

Expectations of me:

As your course instructor you can expect me to:

  • Teach you something new and engage you in material that you find interesting or intriguing.
  • Discuss material from my research interests, and also on critical and recent research on disease and health related matters.
  • Bring your attention to examples of the study of human health, in particular studies on diseases and pandemics featured in the media.
  • Provide you with the foundation in knowledge of research methods necessary for future Anthropology and Health related courses, and for engaging in research.
  • Help you acquire basic academic literature research skills, and APA referencing formatting skills

Expectations of you:

As a student in the course, I expect you to:

  • Participate in the web lectures or discussions, regardless of the circumstances (except in situations of protracted absence from class because of a serious illness or crisis, in this case you should consult me about your circumstances), please ensure you have a course buddy to fill you in on notes and other important information.
  • Participate in critical discussions in lectures.
  • Understand that failure to understand course material does not mean you are not qualified to take this course, but rather by not seeking my assistance, it can result in failure to succeed in this course.
  • Make use the internet to research terms/topics/concepts to its full potential (if used wisely, the internet a rather useful academic source)!
  • In many cases it is useful to bring up topics of concerns in class because your peers may be confused as well. Frequent/consistent queries can detract from lecture “momentum,” however, and I reserve my judgment to answer questions/concerns during office hours.
  • Feel free to provide me with feedback on course content and general organization of lectures.

Lecture and Assignment Topics

Date Topic Assignments
May 5 Introduction to the course, evaluation and format

&

Intro to infectious disease basics and terminology: The chain of infection and epidemiological triad

Assignment 1: Photo documentation of pandemic
May 7 Intro to disease basics and terminology: Rates and other measures of disease Assignment 2: Generalizations of epidemics?
May 12 The short lesson on humanity’s long history with pandemics: Case study on influenza Assignment 3: Influenza in PG
May 14 The short lesson on humanity’s long history with pandemics: from Bubonic Plague, Cholera and Yellow Fever, to HIV and Ebola Assignment 4: COVID Mitigation strategies
May 19 A primer on COVID: Deconstructing the terminology from clinical to population settings Assignment 5: The great mask debate
May 21 COVID high risk populations Assignment 6: COVID High risk populations
May 26 In-class mask debate
May 28 The broad spectrum of the COVID symptoms: From the asymptomatic, the COIVD toe, to pneumonia Assignment 7: COVID Symptoms assignment

Assignment 8: Final presentation & report

June 2 The broad spectrum of the COVID symptoms & Consultation of Final assignment topic
 June 4 Individual or group help session for final assignment
 June 9 Consequences and predictions for the future: The economy and public health reform (Therapies and surveillance practices)
June 11 Consequences and predictions for the future Assignment 8 is due
 


Required Readings**

All readings will be available online through the course site or the info for finding the readings will be posted.

*As the course progresses, additional readings may be added and announced on the course site.

Assignment outlines & due dates

Date Practical sessions & Assignments
May 4th Assignment 1 (Photo documentation) outline is posted

 

May 5th Explaining assignment 1 in lecture
May 6th Assignment 2 (Generalization of epidemics?)  outline is posted

 

May 7th Explaining assignment 2 in lecture
May 11th   

 

Assignment 1 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

 

May 11th Assignment 3 (Influenza in PG) outline is posted

 

May 12th Explaining assignment 3 in lecture
May 13th Assignment 4 (Mitigation strategies) outlines is posted

 

 

May 14th Explaining assignment 4 in lecture
May 15th  Assignment 2 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

 

May 18th Assignment 3 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

May 18th Assignment 5 (The mask debate) outline is posted

 

 

May 19th Explaining assignment 5 in lecture
May 20th Assignment 6 (high risk populations) outline is posted

 

May 21st Explaining assignment 6 in lecture
May 22nd Assignment 4 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

 

   
May 26th Assignment 5 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

May 27th Assignment 7 (COVID symptoms) Assignment 8 (Final presentation & report) outlines are posted
May 28th Explaining assignment 7 and 8 in lecture
May 29th Assignment 6 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

June 5th Assignment 7 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

June 11th Assignment 8 is due at 11:59pm

 

 

Assignments are designed to explore the fundamentals of the study of the history of infectious diseases, and pandemics and, through the lens of the bio-cultural anthropological perspective.

We will begin with examining your experience during these pandemic times, through a photo collage.

We will then move to a focus on historical pandemics, first will be an exploration of how the experiences of epidemics in the past are relevant today, and then graphical examination of the last great pandemic in the local context, Prince George. The remaining assignments will focus on “hot” topics of COVID, either here in Canada or abroad, such as community mitigation strategies, with a particular in depth examination into the dilemma of the effectiveness of the mask, as well as high risk populations and the supposed wide array of COVID symptoms. The final assignment will build on one of the COIVD topics, or a topic of a student’s own choice, with the additional reflection on predictions for the future.

**Dates are subject to change if there is a change in the scheduling of associated lecture material.

Course work & Grading

Assignments: Note you are expected to complete 7 of the 8 assignments described below (you have choice completing two of the following three assignment options: 4, 6, and 7)  (All assignments should be submitted to learn.unbc.ca; those not submitted to learn.unbc.ca will not be graded)

  1. Photo documentation of the COVID pandemic: Submission only. Images that show how the pandemic has changed normalcy of daily life (5%)*
  2. 1918 Influenza in Prince George: A short report, no more than 3 pages on mortality, age and sex considerations (this will require some graphical and numerical analysis) of the pandemic (10.5%)
  3. Generalizations of an epidemic?: A short report (appx. 3 pages) on the applicability of two of Fox’s generalizations to the Canadian COVID context (10.5%)
  4. COVID community mitigation strategies: A short report no more than 5 pages comparing strategies and their effectiveness of two Canadian provinces (12%)
  5. The great mask debate: Cultural and scientific exploration of the efficacy of masks during the current pandemic (15%)
    1. Article contribution to forum/debate (7.5%)
    2. Report/presentation (7.5%)
  6. High risk subpopulation critique: A short report, no more than 5 pages on a national or international evaluation of Men, African Americans, the elderly in long-term care homes, first nations, or other high-risk groups (12%)
  7.  From the asymptomatic, the COVID toe, to pneumonia: Using a table or other schematic/diagram to show the (seemingly) broad spectrum of the ill, and in some locations higher case fatality rates the disease from three countries (12%)
  8. Final Assignment: Choosing from topics 4-7, or an approved topic of your choice, take a biocultural approach to the problem(s) in question, and future predictions, either in a small group or as an individual. Present using a creative means, e.g. podcast, PowerPoint presentation, and a final report of approximately 10 pgs.  (35%)

More information on each component of the assignment will be discussed in future lectures and posted on at this site. The final report should be submitted to https://learn.unbc.ca. Late assignments will be penalized 5% per workday, for first 10 days of lateness; thereafter assignments will not be graded. Exception for late penalty includes family/personal crises (upon consultation with me before assignment due date, however details of circumstances need not be discussed).

*Submission only assignments – marks are given for you submitting the assignment to learn.unbc.ca. Irrespective of whether you did the assignment correctly you will receive the full value. Correct answers, if applicable will be posted after the due date.

Email/Contact Etiquette

E-mail is one of the official means of communication between UNBC and its students. All students are assigned a UNBC e-mail address upon course registration. The e-mail address assigned to a student by the University will be the only e-mail address used by UNBC for communication with students for academic and administrative purposes. Students are responsible for checking their UNBC e-mail account regularly so as to remain current with administrative and academic notifications. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that time-critical e-mail is accessed, read, and acted upon in a timely fashion. If a student chooses to forward University email to another e-mail address, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the alternate account is active.

As mentioned above, please indicate the Course code in the subject header and at minimum sign the email with your name, so I know who you are! Also, do not send me a reminder email if I have not responded to your email, unless I have asked you to remind me; this is impolite, and often I will not respond to you. I have very good reasons for not responding to your emails, either your answer can easily be found in the syllabus or course site, or I am extremely busy and will get to your email in due time.

Lastly, please do not give me your phone number, either home or cell phone, I will not phone you. If you have a query come and see me in person, I am very accommodating with making time to meet with students here at the University of Northern British Columbia. That being said, I am not available before 11am and after 5pm on weekdays, and I am never available to meet on weekends.

Academic Integrity

Any conduct that violates the standards of the University as set out in the Undergraduate University Calendar, particularly those related to academic honesty, is a serious offense. Informal means to resolve complaints of academic dishonesty may be used. Otherwise, the formal processes set out in these Regulations are to be followed. The Senate Committee on Academic Appeals provides for impartial review of rulings made at lower levels. The minimum sanction for an academic offense includes reprimands and reduction of grades; the maximum sanction is dismissal from the student’s academic program or suspension from the University (see Academic Regulation 46 (Academic Sanctions)). Such offenses include, but are not limited to the following:

a. Plagiarism: Plagiarism occurs when a student submits or presents work of another person in such a manner as to lead the reader to believe that it is the student’s original work; self-plagiarism is the submission of work previously submitted for academic credit without prior written and signed approval of the current course instructor.

b. Cheating: Cheating takes numerous forms and includes, but is not limited to, the following: copying from another student’s work or allowing another student to copy from one’s own work; obtaining a copy of an examination before it is officially available; misrepresenting or falsifying references, citations, or sources of information; knowingly recording or reporting false or invented empirical or statistical data; and possession of notes, books, diagrams or other aids during examinations that are not authorized by the examiner (See Regulation 39(a)).

c. Submitting False Records: Knowingly submitting false medical or criminal records, transcripts, or other such certificates or information.

d. Withholding Records: Non-disclosure of previous attendance at a post-secondary institution, and of the transcript of record pertaining thereto, or of other documentation required by the University.

e. Misrepresenting One’s Own Identity: Impersonation or the imitation of a student in class, in a test or examination or class assignment. Both the impersonator and the individual impersonated may be charged.

f. Falsification of Results: The falsification of laboratory and research results.

g. Submission of False Information: The submission of false or misrepresented information on any form used by the University or an agent thereof.

h. Aiding or Abetting any of the above academic offences.

Student support and accommodations:

Make the most of the student support services on campus; these services listed below can not only be beneficial to your academic career but offer advice for personal/family issues that can greatly impact your academic goals.

If you are not sure when or how to assess these services please do not hesitate to contact me, I can direct you to the appropriate services/resources.

 On Access Resource Centre:

The Access Resource Centre is committed to the goal of creating and maintaining physical, intellectual and social access to the University for students with disabilities. The mandate of the Access Resource Centre is to assist in reducing the physical, attitudinal and systemic barriers faced by students with disabilities. The Access Resource Centre is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for academically qualified students so that, whenever possible, such persons may be included in all aspects of the University experience.

Eligibility:

The Access Resource Centre (ARC) provides services for students with documented disabilities, including but not limited to:

  • Chronic health issues
  • Hearing and visual impairments
  • Learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders
  • Mental health and neurological disabilities
  • Mobility and other physical disabilities
  • Temporary impairments related to significant illness or injury

Student services include:

  • Prospective student information
  • Assessment of student needs
  • Academic accommodation letters
  • Assistive technology and services coordination
  • Time management and study skills development
  • Grant and funding opportunities for eligible students
  • Information and referral

Students with disabilities who would like to receive access and academic accommodations through the ARC need to self-identify and register with the centre.

On the Academic Success Centre:

The Academic Success Centre is committed to supporting and enhancing student learning, at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and to providing the skills students will need to become life-long learners. Our students’ success is our ultimate measure of accomplishment.

The Academic Success Centre provides students with FREE access to

  • Tutoring (face-to-face, online, or drop-in)
  • Personalized study skills assessments
  • Peer-led course supports
  • Downloadable handouts
  • Access to self-assessment sites
  • Customized programs and workshops

For more information or to book an appointment, see the Academic Success Centre website at www.unbc.ca/asc, visit the circulation desk on the first floor of the library, or phone 250-960-6367.