The Lottery of Birth

Posted 5 years 11 months ago by The Open University

Study Method : Online
Duration : 4 weeks
Subject : Politics & the Modern World
Overview
Birth is a lottery. Where, when and to whom you are born and the society into which you are born will influence your life chances.
Course Description

Explore the inequalities between rich and poor, female and male

This online course will look at the big picture of the lottery of birth and the smaller, human stories. You will examine key inequalities, such as being born rich or poor, female or male.

You will consider how individual countries and global organisations are responding to demographic changes and predictions, and how this plays out in the lives of individual women and men in different parts of the world.

The course draws on demography, health studies, sociology, comparative social policy, history, political science and economics, to bring new perspectives and fresh insights.

The course does not assume any prior knowledge of the issues surrounding birth or inequalities. It is post-graduate level and encourages personal research and data interpretation.

Please note that this course includes some content of a sensitive nature, including discussions around abortion and female genital mutilation (FGM).

Requirements

The course does not assume any prior knowledge of the issues surrounding birth or inequalities. It is post-graduate level and encourages personal research and data interpretation.

Please note that this course includes some content of a sensitive nature, including discussions around abortion and female genital mutilation (FGM).

Career Path
  • Discuss inequality and engage with data, arguments and ideas that are circulating at the moment
  • Describe how inequality relates to income and wealth, health and education on a national and international scale
  • Compare the choices faced by individuals and the challenges this creates for countries.
  • Summarise the politics, ideas and history that have shaped the lottery of birth in the past and in the present
  • Assess how parental choices are made by individuals within the wider political, social and cultural contexts that shape their lives
  • Evaluate what is being done worldwide to address birth inequalities
  • Reflect on some of the challenges that women and girls face all over the world simply because they were born female
  • Demonstrate your understanding about the causes and consequences of inequalities, and the lottery of birth