Special Topics in the Sociology of Health and Illness [Seminar]

During the seminar Special Topics in the Sociology of Health and Illness, research issues related to the sociology of health and illness will be approached mainly. For example, topics such as the doctor-patient relationship, the patient-family interaction, the choice of treatment, medical authority, the political and cultural dimension of medical care, the burnout of caregivers and medical staff, the experience of illness, etc. will be studied. After the completion of the initial introductory lectures, the ideas of the students for their papers are discussed by the instructor, who submit a preliminary work plan, and the problematic and thematic of the seminar is deepened. Then, on specific dates, the students present their papers and through the discussion, any oversights and comparative advantages and perspectives of writing and research are highlighted. In the context of these meetings, extensive use is made of printed, visual and audio material from the fields of current events, but also from the past, depending on the topic under investigation (e.g. self-presentation, chronically ill people, social stigmatization, communication and management of the disease, etc.). Short documentary films with corresponding content are also shown to facilitate discussion and exchange of views among students. Finally, students are encouraged to present their own "lived experiences" as an occasion for a broader discussion on theoretical, research, ethical and moral issues that touch on sensitive social fields. Finally, in addition to the above, the ethical, deontological, epistemological, political and moral issues that arise in corresponding - mainly - qualitative field research are presented in detail. Each student (or working group) undertakes, on a weekly basis, to present the progress of the seminar work they have undertaken.