Assignment #2
Structural violence is the idea that some people are more disadvantaged or predisposed to harm than others due to the effects of social structures. It is often subtle or invisible and no individual or culture is the sole cause of the phenomenon (Farmer, 1999: 79). In his book Infections and Inequalities, Dr. Paul Farmer sheds light on the structural violence that contributes to the distribution of disease in Haiti and Peru. He highlights that one main consequence of structural violence is the constraint of individual agency, or the ability of the individual to act independently of structures. Farmer argues that there is often an exaggeration of agency where the agency of an individual is overestimated. Often, this notion leads …show more content…
They specifically refer to how various models blame black individuals for the health disparities between black and white populations. The genetic model claims that health differences are genetically determined; however this model is flawed for multiple reasons. Arguably the most important flawed assumption is that the genes that determine race are somehow related to the genes that determine health. The environmental model attributes health disparities to differences in the environment. There are two viewpoints of this model; the liberal version blames poverty as the cause. On the other hand, the right version blames lifestyle (Krieger and Bassett, 1993: 161-169). The authors argue that these models and viewpoints ignore the structures of social injustice and racism prevalent in society today. The higher mortality experienced by black populations in the United States is due to structural violence, not the individuals or the …show more content…
The story of Anna with breast cancer showed how women in the United States can be affected by structural violence. While Anna was struggling with the decision of whether or not to undergo preventative mastectomy, multiple incidences made her think twice about her body and role as a woman (Hamdy and Nye, 2017: 81). Since Anna had the mutation in the BRCA gene, she was likely to develop breast cancer, and preventative mastectomy was a valid option to lower her chances of getting the disease. Her father questioned her decision and suggested it may affect her in the future. He was implying that her breasts were part of what defined her as being a woman. This made Anna think twice about doing the best for her health. This situation exemplifies the larger structural violence against women where they are defined and often limited in their actions and decisions by their bodies. Layla’s family faced a different form of structural violence that is faced by many people of lower socioeconomic class in Egypt. They struggle to find the money to pay for treatment for diseases. Layla’s brother didn’t get treatment for his Hepatitis C, because he simply did not have enough money (Hamdy and Nye, 2017: 65). Additionally, Abu Hassan did not want either of his children to donate a kidney, because their family could not afford treatment for two individuals (Hamdy and Nye, 2017: 126). He chose to die from
Structural violence is the idea that some people are more disadvantaged or predisposed to harm than others due to the effects of social structures. It is often subtle or invisible and no individual or culture is the sole cause of the phenomenon (Farmer, 1999: 79). In his book Infections and Inequalities, Dr. Paul Farmer sheds light on the structural violence that contributes to the distribution of disease in Haiti and Peru. He highlights that one main consequence of structural violence is the constraint of individual agency, or the ability of the individual to act independently of structures. Farmer argues that there is often an exaggeration of agency where the agency of an individual is overestimated. Often, this notion leads …show more content…
They specifically refer to how various models blame black individuals for the health disparities between black and white populations. The genetic model claims that health differences are genetically determined; however this model is flawed for multiple reasons. Arguably the most important flawed assumption is that the genes that determine race are somehow related to the genes that determine health. The environmental model attributes health disparities to differences in the environment. There are two viewpoints of this model; the liberal version blames poverty as the cause. On the other hand, the right version blames lifestyle (Krieger and Bassett, 1993: 161-169). The authors argue that these models and viewpoints ignore the structures of social injustice and racism prevalent in society today. The higher mortality experienced by black populations in the United States is due to structural violence, not the individuals or the …show more content…
The story of Anna with breast cancer showed how women in the United States can be affected by structural violence. While Anna was struggling with the decision of whether or not to undergo preventative mastectomy, multiple incidences made her think twice about her body and role as a woman (Hamdy and Nye, 2017: 81). Since Anna had the mutation in the BRCA gene, she was likely to develop breast cancer, and preventative mastectomy was a valid option to lower her chances of getting the disease. Her father questioned her decision and suggested it may affect her in the future. He was implying that her breasts were part of what defined her as being a woman. This made Anna think twice about doing the best for her health. This situation exemplifies the larger structural violence against women where they are defined and often limited in their actions and decisions by their bodies. Layla’s family faced a different form of structural violence that is faced by many people of lower socioeconomic class in Egypt. They struggle to find the money to pay for treatment for diseases. Layla’s brother didn’t get treatment for his Hepatitis C, because he simply did not have enough money (Hamdy and Nye, 2017: 65). Additionally, Abu Hassan did not want either of his children to donate a kidney, because their family could not afford treatment for two individuals (Hamdy and Nye, 2017: 126). He chose to die from