39362 - Anthropology for Nursing and Midwifery

Learning outcomes

At the end of the teaching, the student will acquire knowledge of the theoretical and methodological tools of the anthropological approach, to think critically about nursing and midwifery care processes related to population health issues and changing health and social contexts with particular reference to cultural diversity.

Course contents

The course aims to provide the student with central concepts for anthropological analysis of cultural plurality in professional nursing and midwifery contexts. In particular, it will put under critical lens the cultural notions of body/bodyhood, the social construction of health and illness, and the relationship between nursing/obstetric care and migratory experiences of foreign users.

Readings/Bibliography

Required text

Quaranta I., La trasformazione dell’esperienza. Antropologia e processi di cura, Antropologia e teatro, n.3, 2012, pp. 1-31.

Text to choose

Cappelletto F., Vivere l’etnografia: osservazioni sul rapporto medico-paziente, in Vivere l’etnografia, SEID Firenze, 2013, pp. 189-225.

Cozzi, D. La gestione dell'ambiguità: Per una lettura antropologica della professione infermieristica, La Ricerca Folklorica, n. 46, 2002, pp.27-38.

Farmer P., Un’antropologia della violenza strutturale, Antropologia "Sofferenza sociale", N. 8, 2006, pp.17-49.

Fassin D., Un ethos compassionevole. La sofferenza come linguaggio, l’ascolto come politica, in: Antropologia "Sofferenza sociale", N. 8, 2006, pp., pp. 93-111.

Gallotti C., Tarabusi F. (a cura di), Antropologia e servizi: intersezioni etnografiche fra ricerca e applicazione, Ledizioni, Milano, 2024.

Gallotti C., Le Mgf come posta in gioco nei processi di cambiamento culturale. Migranti nigeriane e servizi sociosanitari in Emilia-Romagna, in Carrillo D., Pasini N. (a cura di), Migrazioni, Generi, Famiglie. Pratiche di escissione e dinamiche di cambiamento in alcuni contesti regionali, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2009, pp. 185-265.

Perrotta D. (2009), Il parto conteso. L'ostetrica tra discorso medico e discorso umanizzante, Etnografia e ricerca qualitativa, n. 3, pp. 383-411.

Quaranta I., Ricca M., Malati fuori luogo, Edizioni Cortina, Milano, 2012.

Teaching methods

Lectures, group discussion, case analysis.

Assessment methods

The exam is oral.

Among the criteria used to assess the preparation of students, the following are particularly highlighted: a) the ability to understand nursing and midwifery care processes related to health issues and the functioning of health and social systems and with particular reference to cultural diversity; b) the ability to accurately use anthropological language; c) the ability to decline theories and tools proper to anthropology and ethnography to critically read contexts, issues and practices inherent to one's specific professional field.

Final mark:

Minimum analytical skills → 18-19;

Good analytical skills → 20-24;

Very good analytical skills → 25-29;

Excellent analytical skills → 30-30 L

Teaching tools

Slides available on Virtuale, bibliographic materials, case studies.

Office hours

See the website of Cecilia Gallotti