Core Topic: Biomedicine & Health

What it is about

You learn how biomedical research and innovations change concepts such as health, disease, body, environment, and self. By the end you will be able to explain central theoretical approaches and empirical methods for studying the relationship between biomedicine and society and critically analyze the social, political, and ethical implications of new biomedical technologies.

What you will be able to do

• Understand fundamental theories, concepts and empirical approaches linking biomedicine and society
• Critically discuss concepts such as 'body', 'health', 'disease' and 'self' in the context of biomedical innovation
• Analyze possibilities and effects of biomedical technologies (e.g., genetics, stem cell research, neurobiology, epigenetics)
• Evaluate fundamental social, political and ethical questions of new biomedical findings and technologies

What the module consists of

• Studium der FachliteraturConveys fundamental knowledge on theories, concepts and empirical approaches
• FallstudienarbeitTrains critical discussion of relevant concepts and the analysis of social, political and ethical questions
• GruppendiskussionenEnable exchange, reflection and deepening of the topics
• Vorbereitung einer ForschungsarbeitHelps structure knowledge and articulate positions in academic debates

Teaching method

• Studium zentraler LiteraturImparting basic knowledge on theories, concepts and methods
• Arbeiten an FallstudienTraining in critically discussing and analyzing concrete biomedical developments
• GruppendiskussionenFoster exchange and argumentation skills
• Verfassen einer ForschungsarbeitStructures what has been learned and trains scientific writing and positioning