The integration of migrants into existing social and political structures has become a fundamental issue for western democracies. If one takes into consideration the process through which immigrants are included in the welfare policies of their host countries, it can be noted how, in the majority of cases, from the formal and institutional point of view, there is no discernible difference regarding the envisaged benefits. However, there is a significant variation in substance in terms of the effective ability to enjoy these benefits. Here one can identify what is defined in the literature as the implementation deficit with reference to legislation and policies which flow from it, that is a situation in which a fundamental right exists and is recognised, but its effective application becomes difficult to realise in concrete terms. The administrative procedures that immigrants are subjected to, including criteria which regulate access, make it difficult to attain certain rights granted by law, thus creating a differentiated welfare system. In recent years many countries have made efforts to devise policies more inclusive and more responsive to cultural differences. And, progressively, migrant groups have become more visible and more organized at the political level, enhancing their capacity to make political claims.

This work-package focuses on health-care system as a field to test the capacity of public institutions to acknowledge cultural diversity, considering the existing tension between the commitment to meet migrants’ demands and the task of ensuring certain health standards, already established in the host society. Since the health care system is a sector of public services which migrants are heavily dependent upon and, at the same time, dominated by rules and practices often alien to immigrants’ cultural beliefs and customs, it is of interest to understand how public health institutions, national and local politicians, practitioners, nurses and health workers are engaged in guaranteeing the access of immigrants to health services; if they are trying to open a dialogue on different ways to intend concepts like illness and care; and, on the other hand, to what extent immigrants themselves, through their associations, and pro-migrant associations are involved in this process. Moreover, analysis of actors involved, of organizational forms and of aggregation criteria of associations and advocacy groups allows for a reflection on the extent to which migrants are able to exercise their citizenship rights in the establishment of health policies.

CONFERENCE

An international conference will be held in Milan on the 17^th and 18^th of December with the aim of investigating the connection among migrants and health-care systems in different European Countries and to account for the complexity of negotiating and institutionalizing claims of cultural diversity in this sector of policy.

The conference is a joint cooperation among the University of Trento - Department of Sociology and Social Research, the University of Tampere - Department of Sociology and Social Psychology and the Institute Iard Franco Brambilla (Milan) within the activities of CINEFOGO, Network of Excellence under the 6th EU Framework Programme.

The Conference will be shared in three different sessions.

The first session will examine the theme of natives behaviour toward immigrants at general level, and in particular the theme of immigrants and natives behaviour in the field of health. The second session will concentrate on the issue of rights and citizenship and different ideas and approaches to integration, analysing measures adopted for the inclusion of legal and illegal immigrants and the areas of main difficulty in access to health-care services. The third session will analyse the theme from the perspective of public policies: analysis of the responsiveness of national health systems and institutional actors to migrants’ needs, also in relation to different ethnic groups; analysis of the participatory practices and the role of non institutional actors; analysis of formal and informal institutional measures for a culturally sensitive integration of migrants in the decision-making processes and the role that migrant and pro-migrant organizations play in them.

CALL FOR PAPERS

You are invited to submit your paper proposal, in the form of an abstract of not more than 3,000 characters (spaces included). Empirical case studies will be particularly welcomed, as well as comparative case studies, especially of a cross-city/cross-national type.

Proposals should be sent by the 15th October 2007 to MigrantsHealth@soc.unitn.it specifying the section of the conference chosen, the hypothesis and goals underlying the work, case/cases analysed and the methods used.

Results of the selection procedure will be communicated by the 5^th November at the latest.

Final papers need to be sent to MigrantsHealth@soc.unitn.it by the 10^th December 2007.

COSTS

The conference and accommodation will be free for all paper-givers, while travel costs shall be covered by each individual participant.

For more information and requests, please write to: giulia.bigot@soc.unitn.it