39516 - Sociology of Economic and Labour Processes

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students must have demonstrated to understand complex phenomena and problems in the health sector, of interest of nursing and midwifery, placing them in a broader context (from a demographic - epidemiological, socio-cultural and political-institutional point of view)

Course contents

Hints of epistemological issues, human society as a problem, symbolic mediation, consciousness as an oscillation between the original dimension and social objectifications, a hint on the holistic and individualistic perspectives, in particular the Durkheim approach: the social fact and anomie, the  sociological individualism, various types of social action, society as a dialectical process

Comparing paradigms: functionalist perspective vs theories of conflict (Marxian determinism and Weberian analysis)

System and world of life, communicative rationality and communicative action, the colonization of the vital world by systemic imperatives, life/non-life and symbolic, the normativity of the capitalist system and the crisis of the symbolic, the devout society; the mcdonaldization of society 

Critical reflections on medical profession and health professions: professions and bureaucracies compared, the relationship with customers, health professions, formal knowledge and power of the professions

Readings/Bibliography

Texts will be provided during the course.

The following books can be considered as useful material for the course and as food for thought, but without prejudice to the possibility for students to propose additional materials and contributions related to their experience and according to their interests: 

E.Freidson, La dominanza medica. Le basi sociali della malattia e delle istituzioni sanitarie, Franco Angeli, Milano

M.Foucault, Nascita della clinica. Il ruolo della medicina nella costituzione delle scienze umane, Einaludi, Torino

G.Donini, Complessità sociale, memoria e cellule. Nuove forme di creatività umana, Quattroventi, Urbino

G.Donini, Come si ascolta una conchiglia. Il senso capovolto nella medicina moderna, Quattroventi, Urbino

L.Valdrè, Medicina muta. La malattia tra oggettività e sentimento, Rusconi, Milano

E.Colombo, P.Rebughini, La medicina contesa. Cure non convenzionali e pluralismo medico, Carocci, Roma

D.De Masi, La felicità negata, Einaudi, Torino

Teaching methods

lectures, discussions and active participation

Assessment methods

The assessment will take place through an individual oral interview aimed at evaluating the breadth and depth of the knowledge acquired by the student, their ability to argue and critically rework information, the connection of data with heterogeneous contexts and approaches, and their integration with personal experiential knowledge, as well as the acquisition of appropriate terminology. Ratings will be assigned based on the aforementioned criteria according to the following levels: insufficient: <18, sufficient: 18-22, fair: 23-26, good: 27-28, excellent: 29-30, outstanding: 30 with honors.

Teaching tools

movies, internet connection

Office hours

See the website of Marco Grilli