vendredi 5 juillet 2013

Les universités et la santé globale

Global Health by Academia
The contribution of European universities and research after 1945


Call for papers

International conference
RWTH Aachen University/Germany, 21./22. November 2013

The present Global Health movement is characterized by the important role played by universities and academic researchers. However, both the scale and the form of their contributions to the concept of global health have been the result of a gradual and often unpredictable process. Between the late 1940s and the 1980s there was only limited academic involvement in (bi- and multilateral) development cooperation and humanitarian aid on health. Existing interest in international health was marked by the ambiguities of late colonialism and decolonization as universities of the colonial powers intensified their ties to institutions of higher education and research in their (former) territories while universities of European and North-American countries without recent colonial territories sought to establish such links.

This conference aims at discussing the involvement of Northern universities and academic research in the broad range of international activities for improving health in Southern countries during the late colonial and the post-colonial period.

The subject is meant to be broadly defined, including the entire spectrum of scientific institutions (universities, research institutes, laboratories, research departments in political, commercial or civil society agencies etc.) as well as individual scientists and scholars who may have moved within different sectors. The main aim is to explore the dynamics of the interaction between science, research and academia at large with the practice of health-related development aid and national as well as international health programs and policies. The differences between practices and experiences in different settings, both in national or institutional contexts, may be explored as well as their possible mutual interaction and entanglement. The focus is on early or even initial stages of these activities, but drawing connections to more recent developments is also welcome. Relevant questions may address but are not limited to the following areas:

The institutional aspects of the work of universities and research institutions:

* Did universities and research institutions express their interest to get involved? Or did governments and international organizations initiate an academic participation in the development aid process?

* How did they interact with civil society organizations and faith-based organizations devoted to health in the developing world?

The type of activities:

* What role did twinning agreements between universities, faculties or research institutes play?
* Were expatriate lecturers sent for regular curricular courses, special teaching, or summer schools? What were the aim, extent and possible outcome of these programs?
* What about invitations and grants to guest researchers and students at undergraduate, doctoral or post-doc levels?

The impact on individual academic health experts:

* Did development work in (ex)-colonial regions benefit or hinder their academic career at home? Or did it predispose them for jobs in international cooperation and organisations instead of academic institutions?
* Did the experience make a difference for their later academic activities at home, regarding issues, methods or perspectives?
* Did research and teaching promote or discourage the promotion of citizens of the host countries to senior positions?

* Where and how did the results of research alter the design and implementation of these approaches?
* What was the reaction of politicians and practitioners when confronted with health activities by academics?

Major attention will be also given to the kind of health problems, interventions and academic disciplines, which were the focus of academic interest:

* Did academic efforts privilege diseases accessible by vertical programmes (vaccination, mass treatment, vector control) or did they equally consider horizontal approaches?
* Who decided on research priorities?
* Was academic work on health mainly limited to laboratory and clinical research or were social sciences integrated in programs of knowledge transfer?

Proposals of 300 words describing the institutions and period to be presented, sources and research questions, should be sent to iborowy@ukaachen.de and wbruchhausen@ukaachen.de before 29 July
2013.


Information on acceptance will be sent until 2 August 2013.

Expenses for travel and accommodation for the presenters of the selected
papers will be covered.

Participation of other interested colleagues is possible. Please, inform
us at the address above.

The publication of selected contributions in a collected volume or a
special issue of a journal is intended.

Iris Borowy and Walter Bruchhausen
Institute for the History, Theory and Ethics of Medicine
Research project on the History of German Development Cooperation in Health
RWTH Aachen University/Germany

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