Description

Health care issues loom large for the Brazilian people and nation, which is the most populous in Latin America and the site of the largest African Diaspora community in the world. Beset by wide disparities of income distribution and living conditions, governmental public health policies in recent decades have aimed with mixed success to alleviate some of the nation's most glaring health problems. The issues have prompted innovative approaches to reach groups not traditionally incorporated effectively into the Brazilian health care system. At the same time, many African Brazilians and others have developed their own approaches to promoting health and healing, often drawing upon spiritual practices and/or the use of natural remedies.

The program base of Salvador, the largest city in the Brazilian Northeast region, offers numerous opportunities for students to interact with diverse individuals and groups concerned with public health. Doctors and nurses, government health care officials, urban residents in the favelas, descendants of runaway slaves living in outlying rural areas, herbalists, healers in the Candomble tradition and others will serve as resources to incorporate students into discussions of how to promote health and community welfare.

Prerequisites: Previous college-level coursework in public health, development studies, or other related fields. Although there is no language requirement, a background in Portuguese, Spanish or other Romance language is strongly recommended.