36276 - international Sanitary Cooperation

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student knows the principles that regulate the scenario and models of international health cooperation and knows how to master the concepts and methods that guide communication actions in the sector; in particular, he learns the criteria that distinguish community actions and the methods of participative communication.

Course contents

The course is organized with a part of lectures taught online on MS TEAMS (20 hours) and another taught in presence (20 hours). The number of students allowed in class is determined on the basis of class capacity and by the health and safety provisions that deal with the pandemic emergency. In case more students want to attend classes in presence than permitted by the rules, a system of shifts will be organized so to allow students to participate. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course remotely on MS TEAMS.

The course is designed to provide the tools to best achieve decision-making processes and negotiation in conflicts and complexities moving within the difficult field of international cooperation. The principles governing the cultural, political and religious scenario of developing and Western countries will be addressed, dealing with both the issues of migrants and refugees and international terrorism, as well as with geopolitical and religious balances. In particular, climate, environmental and energy issues, the exploitation of child and gender labour, the privatization of the public good, the importance of education and vocational training, and the role of the mass media will be explored. Relations between supranational bodies such as the UN, WHO, FAO, WTO, World Bank, International Monetary Fund will be deepened.

The historical evolution of the human organizations will be presented from the first forms of exercising power and maintaining fear to vertical and pyramidal forms to those competitive and profit up to the most modern Teal where the hierarchy disappears in favor of self-organization.

The models of action of the multinationals will be analyzed, but also the new juridical forms that best guarantee the social responsibility and the ethicality of the enterprise such as the social enterprises but above all the B Corporatipon certificates and the Benefit Corporation.

In the field of health, the course will address the issue of pharmaceutical patents, the power of multinational drug companies, the concept of human guinea pigs, going in this sense to deepen aspects of gene therapy and viral manipulation. But also the phenomenon of drugs, everything that leads to addiction, and what are the pathophysiological causes that keep the human being dependent. The diseases of developing countries and their connection with the consequences of climate change and inadequate management of solid and liquid waste in the same will be analyzed. Finally, gender health will be treated with specific insights relating to interventions based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in rural areas to prevent deaths in childbirth, to the theme of trafficking, prostitution and bodily injury such as female genital mutilation.

The geographical priorities of intervention are mainly the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and some territories of Asia and Latin America. All territories at environmental risk or involved in armed conflicts.

The economic and financial scenarios in the context of "globalization" have a direct impact on the north - south divide and inequalities in general. These must be carefully considered in drawing up guidelines and programming guidelines in the field of development aid.

The course, with a particular emphasis on health and social cooperation, also aims to train in the field of international diplomacy and in the construction of peace processes and conflict management.

Knowledge on the issue of peace, mediation and conflict transformation are crucial to move correctly in diplomatic processes, such as in emergency activities, humanitarian aid and health cooperation. It is necessary to know how to distinguish between ideological readings of political and socio-economic phenomena and evaluations based on the correct reading of data and concrete facts. Correct training in this sense is crucial for acquiring the ability to formulate a critical analysis and therefore to implement correct intervention policies.

Acquiring these skills allows us to develop project and activity capacities in the field of humanitarian aid and cooperation, but also of any objective considered relevant for our life.

Readings/Bibliography

It is not necessary to purchase specific texts. Updated educational material, both paper and multimedia, is provided in class.

Teaching methods

The course takes place with the support of Video material for in-depth analysis of experiences and surveys in the area. Direct testimonies in the classroom of high-level professional and institutional or journalistic personalities. Direct interviews in the field through Skype connection, comparison and critical elaboration in the classroom on the topics addressed also with group and multimedia activities according to the technique of cooperative learning and role-playing games.

The emotional and cognitive involvement of the group is used as a learning tool and an alternative to the traditional frontal academic lesson. Cooperative learning is a learning method based on interaction within a group of collaborating students, in order to achieve a common goal, through a work of study and learning that will lead to the construction of new knowledge. Sharing activity is a way of life and work that will characterize the future thanks to the use of new technologies. Gaining the ability to share ideas and knowledge, information and opportunities is an innovative but decisive mechanism within each project in a globalized society dominated by technological, demographic and financial forces.

*As a consequence of the uncertainty conditions caused by COVID-19 and in compliance with the safety standards provided by the University of Bologna, the teaching method adopted for the 2020/2021 academic year will change from that traditionally used.

To respect the distances inside the classroom, the teaching method will reflect what is described at the beginning of the "contents" section and will do without the forms of cooperative learning among students.

Assessment methods

The students will face the disciplinary study interacting in groups, in a collaborative, responsible, supportive way and receiving evaluations based on the results obtained individually and in groups. In collaborative learning, the contribution of each individual student makes it possible to create an overall vision of the research object and, together with the interaction, allows to create and trigger the sense of belonging, transforming the "I-individualist" into "us" -group "thus giving the students the opportunity to face together innumerable problems related to the enhancement, learning and motivation that, during the normal lesson, very often turn out to be an obstacle.

Assessments will take place in written, oral and practical modalities in group work and role-play and will include both the acquisition of notional and experiential knowledge as well as the collaborative ability.

* As a consequence of the uncertainty conditions caused by COVID-19 and in compliance with the safety regulations adopted by the University of Bologna, the method of verifying knowledge for the 2020/2021 academic year will change with respect to that traditionally applied.

Therefore, the test for the 2020/2021 academic year will concern students who decide to attend the course and who will be present at least 70% of the hours of lessons and consent will be in writing an indicative document 25000 characters (spaces included) regarding a topic agreed with the teacher, followed by an oral interview.

The document presents itself as an opportunity to deepen a topic of personal interest related to the theme of international health cooperation and as a tool that offers both to identify and compare solutions to problems, and to critical proportions of new ones based on what has been learned during the course.

To facilitate the choice of paper, a list of topics from which to take inspiration will be included and any students' proposals relating to topics not present in the list, but of evident relevance to the topics covered, will also be considered. In the phase of choosing the topic and the initial development of the paper, the teacher and the assistant will be available for further clarification and advice.

During the discussion, each student will exhibit their work
highlighting its strengths and will also be assessed on the level of maturity and a general understanding of the topics covered during the course.

 

Teaching tools

Experiential video projections, multimedia modes and video call through Skype.

Dr. Mattia Capelli (mattia.capelli@studio.unibo.it; Skype: mattiacapelli@live.com) will be available during the semester for any clarifications regarding the program, the exam method, and the topic of the paper.

Office hours

See the website of Massimiliano Fanni Canelles