This course can be taken in conjunction with Benjamin Corey's Microbiology of Disease course or as a stand-alone.  Link to Benjamin Corey's course:  https://outschool.com/classes/outbreak-the-microbiology-of-diseases-2IlyYSZn?usid=2RzYWbR0&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Learners can gain from taking the two courses concurrently in order to study disease in an interdisciplinary format, understanding the science behind the disease and the real-world impact on human societies.  Each week after learning the science behind each type of disease, the learner can engage in applying their learning to the real-world scenarios in which the disease is affecting human society.  However, it is absolutely not necessary to take Microbiology in order to engage and learn from this course. 

Week one focuses on viruses.  Here we will look at the human rights impact of the containment of viruses.  Learners will study Ebola outbreaks and the ways in which governments work to contain the disease as well as the human rights impact of those policy choices.  We will also analyze the current Covid pandemic and inequalities in medical care and vaccine management across the globe. 

 Week two will turn to bacteria and the infections that can impact societies.  During this week we will focus on the case study of a Tuburcolosis outbreak in South African prisons in order to highlight the ways in which vulnerable populations are exposed to bacterial disease and their consequences.  We will also study the impact of global anti-biotics used to treat bacterial infections and the challenges to developing countries in anti-biotic distribution. 

Week three looks to fungi and disease.  Here we will look to the case study of the black fungus in India to study how disease can impact discrimination in society and how inequality within society perpetuates both disease and discrimination. 

Finally, during week four, we will turn to parasites and their impact on disease.  This week will focus on tropical areas where parasite disease is prevalent, looking at diseases such as malaria and Dracunculiasis, neglected tropical diseases that affect remote populations around the world.  We will study efforts to eradicate these diseases and consider why more has not been done to eradicate parasitic disease globally.

Each week will focus on the human challenges as well as potential problem-solving solutions to engage learners to consider how to understand and work to solve global challenges to human societies.