Wealth Inequalities, Social Mobility, and Health

The more unequal a society is the more susceptible it is to social unrest, stress and anxiety due to social status. Social determinants of health are shaped by the distribution of income and wealth and for the first time in 2020 inequities in both health and wealth rose in every country across the globe. The lack of social mobility is becoming more pressing due to structural barriers at the bottom and the rigidity at the top to make social changes. This course aims to understand the complex dynamics that occur in countries with large disparities in wealth, the promising avenues for increasing social mobility and the deep connections between inequality and health.

The course will focus on wealth inequality and how different bargaining powers are affected. In many ways wealth inequalities are more fundamental and encompass far more than income inequalities; global disparities become more worrying when we focus on wealth (i.e. bundle of assets) rather than income. There are different dimensions of wealth inequality (wealth accumulation and debts, inequality of capabilities & skills, taxation, labor conditions, etc.) In this course we will focus on inequality of capabilities and skills and explore solutions to achieve better socioeconomic footing and occupations for the bottom 40%. Participants will also be introduced to the concept of social mobility and the nexus between inequality and health but also the human health implications of our rapid transformation of our planet. The course will explore the idea of “One Health” for humans, animals and our environment and how positive discrimination can be used as an attempt not only to reduce inequality but also to optimizing health and well-being in connection with a safer, healthy and more equal environments.

By the end of the course participants will:

• Have discovered innovative ideas that can inform actions to decrease wealth inequalities and increase social mobility;
• Know about optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people and the environment.
  
  

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None.

This course is not static or linear. Meaning we will do more than present the topics. There will be discussions on real cases from Latin American, Asia, and Africa. There will be interactive inputs, there will be some group work, and participants will benefit from learning from facilitators with different backgrounds.

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• Participants must attend at least 80% of the course;
• Participation and engagement in group works and discussions.

At least one facilitator will be on-site in Lugano, and some may join online. Participants are welcomed to join either on-site in Lugano, or online. In case of a change of regional policies (e.g., Covid) or personal reasons, the course could change to online.