39362 - Anthropology for Nursing and Midwifery

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student should be able to understand the nursing and obstetric care processes connected with the evolution of the health issues of population, the functioning of the health and social systems and the specific professional trajectories with particular reference to the ethno-anthropological differences.

Course contents

In the contemporary scenario, a deep analysis to multicultural issues, on the one hand, and an approach of critical reflexivity related to one's own knowledge and work practices, on the other hand, appear to be significant to the professionals engaged with medical, nursing and obstetric care. The course aims to explore the cultural notions of body and embodiement, the social construction of health and disease as well as the practices and care devices elaborated in relation to ethnic differences and migrant experiences of foreign users. In particular, the course aims to provide some critical perspectives for dealing with cultural diversity in nursing and obstetric professional environments, in relations to some specific topics: 1) notions of disease/illness/sickness 2) body and body modification practices (MGF) 3) health services and migration processes

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended reading 

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

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

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

Reading list:

Cappelletto F., «Vivere l’etnografia: osservazioni sul rapporto medico-paziente» in Vivere l’etnografia, SEID Firenze, 2013.

Gallotti C., “Le Mgf come posta in gioco nei processi di cambiamento culturale. Migranti nigeriane e servizi socio-sanitari 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.

Good B. J., “Un corpo che soffre. La costruzione di un mondo di dolore cronico”, in Quaranta I. (a cura di), Antropologia medica. I testi fondamentali. R. Cortina, Milano, 2006.

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

Ranisio G., “Corpo femminile e medicalizzazione”, in Cozzi D. (a cura di), Le parole dell’antropologia medica. Piccolo dizionario, Morlacchi, Perugia, 2012

Spensieri S., Ahmed A., «Alcolismo, possessione, immigrazione. Corpi anormali», rivista di Psicologia clinica, n.1, 2010.

Tarabusi F., Quando nasce una madre. Cura, servizi e maternità nelle esperienze delle donne migranti: un approccio etnografico, “About Gender”, vol. 6, 2017.

Teaching methods

Interactive lessons, case analysis

Assessment methods

Students will be asked to prepare a final paper.

The paper will aim to apply some relevant aspects of the anthropological and ethnographic approach to specific students' professional experiences. Among the criteria used to asses the specific knowledge/skills required to achieve: a) the ability to understand the nursing and obstetric 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 the anthropological and ethnographic approaches to critically approach to the contexts, issues and practices of their specific professional field.

Teaching tools

Lectures, power point, videos

Office hours

See the website of Federica Tarabusi