Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Health: An Engine for the Journey to Peace

Course Description

This course will examine the dynamic relationship between health and individual, family, community, societal, and environmental peace. Health initiatives, campaigns and programs can make inroads into communities experiencing violence conflict and help lay the foundation for human peace. Topics that will be discussed include, but are not limited to: health promotion, human rights concerns, bioethics, women’s role in the peace process, environmental interdependency and vehicles for collaboration and reconciliation.

Course Objectives

• Understand the effects of war and conflict on health;
• Find creative ways to use the power of health to facilitate and accelerate the journey to peace and the role of health care professionals in contributing to this end;
• Critically examine the barriers that health disparities and illness pose to peace;
• Identify international efforts to facilitate the use of health in the journey to peace and the related ethical and human rights issues.