Supriya Dixit, Dickinson, Psychology
Introduction to Health Psychology
I came into the workshop looking to find ways of integrating a sustainability framework into a course, Introduction to Health Psychology, that was already quite well developed. What I learned in the workshop allowed me to weave in themes of health equity as it connects to environmental justice thereby positioning the course as both an academic exploration and a formation of civic selfhood. The course already emphasizes the social determinants of health and health disparities. This workshop helped me understand just how powerful the framework can be: in every discussion I can weave in the relevance of sustainability (i.e. environmental determinants such as food deserts, climate change and their disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations). Furthermore, health disparities reveal how identity categories intersect with exposure to environmental risks. By framing sustainability as an issue of equity and justice one makes abstract health psychology concepts immediately relevant to students’ lives and communities.
Perhaps the most impactful have been the pedagogical shifts that have been inspired by the workshop. Some examples include using disorienting dilemmas (e.g., climate-related displacement, or asthma disparities in redlined neighborhoods) to challenge assumptions. Students will engage in community-based environmental health audits using digital tools (EPA, EJScreen). By inviting students to co-construct knowledge and reflect on their own positionality in relation to environmental justice we engage critical pedagogy in practice.
A signature group project has been added to the course titled “Narratives from the Margins.” Students will create narrative driven digital artifacts that explore the lived experiences of communities affected by environmental injustice. These artifacts will combine scientific research with storytelling with the hope that final outputs can serve as advocacy tools beyond the classroom.
Instead of thinking of sustainability as an isolated unit, the workshop really helped me understand how to weave it thematically throughout, without overpowering the fundamental course objectives. What has been integrated has helped position this course as a transformative, experiential pedagogy that unites science, identity and a sense of responsibility. The hope is that students will walk away with the fundamental knowledge that health psychology is a discipline that not only studies human behavior but also contributes to imagining and building just and sustainable futures.