The Politics and Ethics of Health Care
GOV 94GK
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
This course looks at contemporary debates about health care, with a focus on the ways in which political theory can inform our understanding of its moral and political dimensions. Using case studies as a launching point, we will explore ideas about autonomy, paternalism, beneficence, and distributive justice, and their application to issues such as informed consent, medical privacy, the right to refuse care, and the distribution of scarce medical resources. The course also introduces students to key concepts in health policy, especially as they apply to the United States. Readings include classics of moral and political philosophy, writings by contemporary medical ethicists, Supreme Court decisions, and some empirical and historical studies.
Class Notes
theory_subfield; public_policy
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
