Health, wealth and poverty

Tue 21 February 2012 - Tue 20 March 2012

Institute of Continuing Education

Wealth, or the lack of it, is a concern for us all, as is our health, levels of sickness, the risk of death, and the effectiveness of medicine. This new University of Cambridge short course provides a history of these essential aspects of life in Britain from 1601 to the present day and it should challenge some of our 21st-century assumptions!

The course will begin by introducing you to definitions of health, sickness and death, and of wealth, poverty and class by people now and in the past. You will find out about the history of the ‘Big Society’, the impact of military occupation on the Channel Islands, and the impact of class on sickness and death in the post-war era of the NHS and the welfare state.

Weekly sessions (Tuesdays 14:00 - 16:00)

21 February: Who were the healthy, wealthy and poor? (Dr Samantha Williams)
28 February: The original ‘Big Society?’ The state, charity and self-help, 1601-1948 (Dr Samantha Williams)
6 March: Health and wealth under military occupation (Dr Gilly Carr)
13 March: A matter of life and death? Class, death and sickness since 1945 (Dr Nigel Kettley)
20 March: The role of science and medicine in improving health (Dr Vanessa Heggie)

Cost: £100 for the full 5-week course