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This course analyses major political issues and policy challenges in the area of biopolitics - the operation of power through governance of human bodies. Specific issues include the politics of infectious diseases, agtech, human ‘enhancement,’ and the implications of disruptive technologies for medicine, human reproduction, and life extension. Cases will be primarily drawn from North America, Australia, and Aotearoa. This course is part of the public policy subdiscipline in the Political Science degree and is also relevant to a number of other degrees across the university.
This course analyses major political issues and policy challenges in the area of biopolitics—the operation of power through governance of human bodies. Specific science, technology, and health issues of focus include the politics of infectious diseases, genetic patents, human ‘enhancement,’ and the implications of disruptive technologies for medicine, human reproduction, and life extension. Cases will be primarily drawn from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and small pacific states. The course will be grounded in policy policy and approaches to policy analysis. Questions that we will consider include: ● When and why did health become a political issue subject to government intervention? ● What are the ethical and public policy consequences of politicising the human body?● How does power operate in regulating the body and life?● Should the state regulate decisions regarding the body and life? ● How is health distributed around the world as a consequence of history, class, ethnicity and other variables?● What are key case examples and policies on these issues in New Zealand, Australia, and the pacific states?● What are emerging technologies and what opportunities and challenges might they bring?● What motivates the government, public, and other stakeholders?
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:Demonstrate knowledge of core concepts and major approaches in the study of policy and governance (and topics of health, science, and technology);Articulate the values and interests that underpin government decision-making;Conduct independent research, reading, critical thinking, analysis, and writing;Apply policy tools and concepts to real-world issues during class time;Demonstrate understanding of the distinctions of public policy in different contexts.
Any 30 points at 200 level from HLTH or POLS, orany 60 points at 200 level from the Schedule V of the BA, orLAWS, GEOG, orthe Schedule V of the BCom.
Students must attend one activity from each section.
Lin Mussell
Reading materials will be available on Learn and at the university library. Optional readings are ones that you are not required to do but are available if you are interested in learning more about a topic.
Domestic fee $1,788.00
International fee $8,200.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .