Northwestern Events Calendar

May
10
2018

“Helper” or “Savior”? The Debate Over Short-Term Global Health Activities

When: Thursday, May 10, 2018
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM CT

Where: Scott Hall, Guild Lounge, 601 University Place, Evanston, IL 60208 map it

Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students

Contact: Patrick Eccles  

Group: Community-Engaged Scholarship Working Group (Buffett Institute)

Co-Sponsor: Global Health Studies

Category: Global & Civic Engagement

Description:

As universities around the world tout the growing number of students seeking international experiences, they are also faced by the difficult challenges of ensuring that students have valuable learning experiences and that they do not put themselves or their hosts at risk. Especially in the arena of health service programs, which have been increasing dramatically, there are serious concerns about the possibility of harm to host communities. Volunteers want to have an impact, but there is little evidence to prove that they are helping. Dr. Lasker's research for "Hoping to Help: the Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering" compares typical practices on short-term trips to host community preferences and recommends many ways in which the value of international volunteering can be greatly improved. Dr. Sullivan's research focuses on the experiences of volunteers in Tanzanian hospitals and the pressures they experience to carry out medical procedures they are not trained for that can harm patients and undermine local health professionals.

Reception to follow.

Co-sponsored by the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching, Center for Global Health, Global Health Studies and GlobeMed.

PLEASE NOTE: Judith Lasker will also give the Global Health Day keynote lecture sponsored by the Center for Global Health on the Chicago Campus on Monday, May 14.

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