ABSTRACT
This is the first of two introductory chapters that present the landscape for public health and establish the context for this book. Each chapter is underpinned by a critical understanding of public health in various settings. Our broad priorities to address inequalities in health, fairness and social justice are best served by the principles enshrined in the social model of health (Dahlgren and Whitehead 1991a, 1991b, 2007), as this model has emerged as a legitimate vehicle for understanding public health policy and practice in the real world.
