The long separation of health and International Relations, as distinct academic fields and policy arenas, has now dramatically changed. Health, concerned with the body, mind and spirit, has traditionally focused on disease and infirmity, whilst International Relations has been dominated by concerns of war, peace and security. Since the 1990s, however, the two fields have increasingly overlapped. How can we explain this shift and what are the implications for the future development of both fields? Colin McInnes and Kelley Lee examine four key intersections between health and International Relations today - foreign policy and health diplomacy, health and the global political economy, global health governance and global health security. The explosion of interest in these subjects has, in large part, been due to "real world" concerns - disease outbreaks, antibiotic resistance, counterfeit drugs and other risks to human health amid the spread of globalisation. Yet the authors contend that it is also important to understand how global health has been socially constructed, shaped in theory and practice by particular interests and normative frameworks. This groundbreaking book encourages readers to step back from problem-solving to ask how global health is being problematized in the first place, why certain agendas and issue areas are prioritised, and what determines the potential solutions put forth to address them? The palpable struggle to better understand the health risks facing a globalized world, and to strengthen collective action to deal with them effectively, begins - they argue - with a more reflexive and critical approach to this rapidly emerging subject.

This groundbreaking book encourages readers to step back from problem-solving to ask how global health is being problematized in the first place, why certain agendas and issue areas are prioritised, and what determines the potential solutions put forth to address them.

This groundbreaking book encourages readers to step back from problem-solving to ask how global health is being problematized in the first place, why certain agendas and issue areas are prioritised, and what determines the potential solutions put forth to address them.

International responses to the outbreak of SARS, the spread of HIV/AIDS, and the promotion of health as a human right all demonstrate how global politics have a profound effect on the way we think about and respond to major health challenges. Despite a growing interest in the relationship between health and international relations there has yet to be a systematic study of the links between them. Global Politics of Health aims to fill this gap - ultimately showing how world politics can be good, or bad, for your health. This book calls for a more nuanced understanding of the nature of the current global health crisis and the political dilemmas faced by those responsible for the development and implementation of responses to it. By charting these debates and showing how they shape the way actors think about key issues relating to health, such as people movement, infectious disease, the business of health, and the consequences of war, this volume provides an innovative and comprehensive introduction to health and international relations for students of global politics, health studies and related disciplines.

Controlling a major infectious disease outbreak or reducing rising rates of diabetes worldwide is not just about applying medical science. Protecting and promoting health is inherently a political endeavor that requires understanding of who gets what, where, and why. The Oxford Handbook of Global Health Politics presents the most comprehensive overview of how and why power lies at the heart of global health determinants and outcomes. The chapters are written by internationally recognized experts working at the intersection of politics and global health. The wide-ranging chapters provide key insights for understanding how advances in global health cannot be achieved without attention to political actors, processes, and outcomes.

Barefoot Global Health Diplomacy: Field Experiences in International Relations, Security, and Public Health Epidemics fills real-world gaps in training for those destined to work on health and health systems in challenging, resource-deprived environments. Key topics include global health programs and individual adaptability for developing country settings, the interface between different actors in the global health diplomacy realm (e.g. ambassadors, embassies and the military), the ethical and economic implications of global health diplomacy at the service delivery level, the definition and illustration of the 'smart global health' paradigm, and the essential elements for individuals and organizations to design and deliver advances in international relations and altruism. This book provides an accessible, practical resource on advanced aspects of global health program design and delivery for global health practitioners and other international staff working on public health initiatives and programs in developing countries. - Offers an innovative, accessible field guide for global health workers in diplomatic aspects of their work - Provides helpful insight on how to resolve ethical dilemmas in global health (e.g. resource allocation decisions) - Maintains a high level of focus on advanced aspects of global health program design and delivery

The world’s problems are indeed world problems: social and environmental crises, global trade and politics, and major epidemics are making public health a pressing global concern. From this constantly changing scenario, global health diplomacy has evolved, at the intersection of public health, international relations, law, economics, and management—a new discipline with transformative potential. Global Health Diplomacy situates this concept firmly within the human rights dialogue and provides a solid framework for understanding global health issues and their negotiation. This up-to-the-minute guide sets out defining principles and the current agenda of the field, and examines key relationships such as between trade and health diplomacy, and between global health and environmental issues. The processes of global governance are detailed as the UN, WHO, and other multinational actors work to address health inequalities among the world’s peoples. And to ensure maximum usefulness, the text includes plentiful examples, discussion questions, reading lists, and a glossary. Featured topics include: The legal basis of global health agreements and negotiations. Global public goods as a foundation for global health diplomacy. Global health: a human security perspective. Health issues and foreign policy at the UN. National strategies for global health. South-south cooperation and other new models of development. A volume of immediate utility with a potent vision for the future, Global Health Diplomacy is an essential text for public health experts and diplomats as well as schools of public health and international affairs.

Perhaps no other public policy issue has greater potential to affect some of the most significant economic, political, social, and ethical changes of the 21st century than global health. In this book, a scholar/physician team authors a comprehensive introduction to global health issues and emphasises the potential of public health intervention to improve the longevity and quality of human life across the globe. The authors have lived and worked in Africa as well as in medically underserved areas of the United States, so they write with firsthand experience and authority. Using themes of interconnectedness, globalisation, and united concern from citizens, this book encourages readers to consider the role that they might play as engaged citizens in taking on the global public health challenges of the 21st century including everything from AIDs and flu to tobacco, obesity, and threats in conflict zones.

In the early twenty-first century, key public health issues and challenges have taken centre stage on the global scene, and health has been placed at the heart of our collective aspirations for human development and well-being. But significant debate exists not only about the causes, but also about the possible solutions for nearly all of the most important global health challenges. Competing visions of the values and perspectives that should underlie global health policies have emerged, ranging from an emphasis on cost eff ectiveness and resource constraints on one extreme, to new calls for health and human rights, and renewed calls for health and social justice on the other. The role of different intergovernmental agencies, bilateral or unilateral donors, public or private institutions and initiatives, has increasingly been called into question, whilst the spread of neoliberal policies and programmes, and existing international trade regimes and intellectual property rights, are deeply implicated in relation to global health responses. This volume critically evaluates how the global health industry has evolved and how the interests of diverse political and economic stakeholders are shaping the context of a rapidly changing institutional landscape. Bringing together leading authors from across the world, the Handbook’s eight sections explore: • Critical perspectives on global health • Globalisation, neoliberalism, and health systems • The changing shape of global health governance • Development assistance and the politics of global health • Scale-up, scale-down, and the sustainability of global health programmes • Intellectual property rights, trade relations, and global health • Humanitarian emergencies and global health politics • Human rights, social justice, and global health The Routledge Handbook on the Politics of Global Health addresses both the emerging issues and conceptualisations of the political strategies, policy-making processes, and global governance of global health, along with expanding upon and highlighting the critical priorities in this rapidly evolving field. It provides an authoritative overview for students, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers working in or concerned with the politics of public health around the globe.

Global health diplomacy begins with a recognition that the most effective international health interventions are carried out with sensitivity to historical, political, social, economic, and cultural differences. It focuses on the interplay of globalization, economic interdependence, social justice, and the enlightened self-interests of nations. Global health diplomacy can help sustain peace and economic stability in a globalized world, but the skills necessary for this endeavour are not taught in standard health sciences curricula or in Foreign Service academies. However, they bear directly on the success of international health cooperation, be it from the global north to the global south or south-to-south cooperation. Global health diplomacy can be a critical pathway to assure good global governance and improved international relations among the great powers and between these powers and the developing world. It can be a mechanism to avert conflict and to augment health, peace, solidarity, economic progress, and multinational cooperation.