FSEM Paper: Accompaniment

I read a book titled Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder on a whim the summer after I graduated high school. It blew my mind and I could not stop talking about it to my friends and family. I was so inspired by the actions of Dr. Paul Farmer and his organization Partners in Health, while at the same time I was horrified by realities presented in the book about living conditions and lack of access to healthcare in places like Haiti. Being focused on reading about famous doctors in the U.S. working in large hospitals like the Mayo Clinic, I had never before thought about the profound impact that poverty has on health.

About a month after I read that book, I registered for the FSEM called The Right to Health in Theory and Practice. It seemed like the perfect way to continue thinking about the social determinants of health.

Through that course in the fall of 2017, I wrote a paper about a term coined by Dr. Paul Farmer: accompaniment. It embodies a sweeping definition of health care, approaching health as a journey rather than a series of appointments. It calls upon healthcare professionals to support citizens, communities, governments, and nations in the spirit of partnership. Because of this, I titled my paper Companion on the Journey and Partners in Health.

Racism, Popular Culture, and Social Change

I am taking a class called Race and Popular Culture this quarter. In this class, I am gaining another perspective on the world and learning about issues I had never thought about before. Having focused on mostly math and science courses thus far in my college career, this class allowed me to broaden my knowledge and take into account some social forces in the world. 

A main theme that my professor is emphasizing is institutionalized racism. Instead of pointing out, “That person is a racist”, we are thinking about the bigger picture and how racism is integrated into our everyday lives. It is uncomfortable to talk about, but worth doing so. I am certainly paying more attention to how certain groups are portrayed in the media and the ways that unconsciously affects my perception.

A specific point from our discussion was that institutionalized racism was not created by us. We were born into a world where there is inequality and it’s not our fault. But, it’s our responsibility to address it. I think that applies to other areas of life as well. I’m 20 years old, and the way the world is isn’t my fault. I didn’t do it. But nevertheless, I want to make the world better, so I want to address these things. And it’s not productive to think that it’s not my problem just because I didn’t create it.

In Beverly Daniel Tatum’s essay Defining Racism: Can We Talk?, she uses the analogy of a moving walkway at the airport: “Active racist behavior is equivalent to walking fast on the conveyor belt. The person engaged in active racist behavior has identified with the ideology of White supremacy and is moving with it. Passive racist behavior is equivalent to standing still on the walkway. No overt effort is being made, but the conveyor belt moves the bystanders along to the same destination as those who are actively walking. Some of the bystanders may feel the motion of the conveyor belt, see the active racists ahead of them, and choose to turn around, unwilling to go to the same destination as the White supremacists. But unless they are walking actively in the opposite direction at a speed faster than the conveyor belt- unless they are actively antiracist – they will find themselves carried along with the others.” I thought this analogy was particularly interesting and can be applied to any kind of social change.

Intellectual Property Rights and Patent Law: Promoting Drugs, Disease, and Disparity

When choosing a topic for my Global Health research paper, I did some reflecting. After learning about Paul Farmer and other such advocates, I knew I was passionate about health equity and advocacy. I also knew I was already passionate about the more science-y or medical side of health. I wanted to see if I could be passionate about the legal side of health as well, so I chose to write about how international trade agreements and patent law affect drug prices in developed and developing countries. I found it to be super interesting! After spending ten weeks researching this topic, I still find it fascinating. Now I know that I am really interested in the medical, public health, and legal aspects of the field.

"No Such Thing as a Free Gift"

This quarter I am taking a class called God & Giving: Religion and Philanthropy in America. The material has been very engaging, and I will never see the act of giving in the same way. For this class, I read a book called The Gift by Marcel Mauss. In the book, Mauss argues that ancient societies’ tradition of gift-giving can be seen today. There is an obligation to give, an obligation to receive, and an obligation to reciprocate. According to him, there is no such thing as a free gift. The giver always gets something out of it. In today's world, that could take the form of a tax break, a sense of personal satisfaction, fulfillment of a religious obligation, power, social status, etc.  We have discussed the role of not-for-profit organizations and some ulterior motives. For example, when one receives a grant from a large foundation, what sort of obligation or indebtedness does one feel? I have been thinking about that and how it might apply to working for the public good. What is involved in the motivations of those who work for the public good? What are my motivations for seeking to work for the public good?