The embodiment of fear: Reproductive health and migrant women’s choices, in Verona, Italy

This article discusses the results of ethnographic research conducted in the municipality of Verona (Veneto Region, Northeast Italy), during 2018, aimed at analysing the re- productive health needs of migrant women, and their access to such services in the territory. The research highlighted that, in addition to many critical structural- organizational issues, there was an emotional obstacle to the use of services – that is, the feeling of fear. In this paper, therefore, we will try to reflect on the role exercised by fear in the relationship between migrant women and reproductive health services. We interpret this emotion not as the expression of an individual experience and feeling, but rather as an example of “embedded thinking”; the result of a social construction that reflects dynamics and power relationships, capable of transforming feelings into practices

La doula in Italia Nascita, formazione e legittimazione di una professione

The goal of this research is to analyze the arising of the doula profession in Italy. Doulas are professional who offer emotional, informational and practical support to women and their families, during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. The profile is born in U.S.A in the seventies and in Italy it began to develop at the end of nineties. The first Doula Training started in 2007. Nowadays doulas trained are six hundred and about half of them practice as professionals. Doula profession is ruled by law num.4/2013 “Disposizioni in materia di professioni non organizzate”. To understand how doulas are defining their space in the system of profession, the research will investigate doulas profession through the study of their practices, their representations and the processes developed to obtain cultural and social jurisdiction. In typical Chicago tradition and following in particular the work of Andrew Abbott (1988), the research will adopt the concept of profession. The history of a profession is influenced by the broader history of the system of professions. Doulas are involved in acquiring control of an area of work which is related to other professions in maternity care. Midwives constitute the professional group which is most involved in this process and, through their representative body, they are developing strong opposition to the arising of doula profession. The work is based on interviews and ethnography. The research shows the results of the analysis of 32 biographical interviews conducted with doulas, 14 with midwives and 4 privileged actors. Interviews share the same methodological basis, which match the ethno sociological approach (Bertaux 1999) with the dialogic approach (La Mendola 2009). The ethnographic work took place during trainings and meetings for doulas, where the researcher participated as a doula. Ethnographic notes (Gobo 2001, Corsaro 1985) are interwoven with autoethnografic ones (Ellis 1995, Ellis et al. 2011). Through the study of doula profession the work tries to understand the birth of a new profession in an ecological view, analyzing internal and external competition to the definition of cultural and social jurisdiction. Moreover this work aims at contributing to the study of transformative processes that affected professions in Italy.La ricerca ha l’obiettivo di indagare la professione della doula in Italia. La doula si configura come una professionista che offre supporto informativo, emotivo e pratico alla donna e alla famiglia, dalla gravidanza sino al primo anno di vita del bambino. Il profilo, nato negli Stati Uniti negli anni Settanta, ha iniziato a svilupparsi nel nostro Paese a partire dagli ultimi anni del Novecento e nel 2007 è stata fondata la prima scuola delle doule. Attualmente le doule formate dai differenti percorsi sono circa seicento ed è possibile stimare, secondo quando riferito dalle presidenti delle principali associazioni di doule, che a svolgere l’attività siano circa trecento professioniste. La figura della doula è disciplinata dalla legge numero 4 del 2013 “Disposizioni in materia di professioni non organizzate”. La ricerca si propone di indagare la professione della doula attraverso lo studio delle pratiche, delle rappresentazioni e dei processi di riconoscimento e legittimazione sviluppati dalle professioniste, al fine di comprendere il modo in cui la figura sta definendo il proprio spazio all’interno del sistema delle professioni. Dalla tradizione sociologica della Scuola di Chicago, ed in particolare dalla teorizzazione sviluppata da Andrew Abbott (1988), si adotterà come riferimento il concetto di professione. All’interno di un’ecologia ciò che accade ad un elemento influisce necessariamente su tutti gli altri elementi del sistema. In questo senso, l’emergere della figura della doula, impegnata ad acquisire il controllo di una determinata area di lavoro, coinvolge le altre professioni che operano nell’area materno-infantile. In particolare, nell’esperienza delle doule, l’ecologia più prossima riguarda il gruppo professionale delle ostetriche, il quale, attraverso l’organo di rappresentanza, la Federazione Nazionale dei Collegi delle Ostetriche, ha manifestato opposizione alla figura sin dai suoi esordi. Lo studio ha quindi coinvolto anche il gruppo professionale delle ostetriche. La ricerca si basa sull’analisi di interviste ed etnografia. Sono state realizzate trentadue interviste a doule, quattordici ad ostetriche e quattro ad attori privilegiati. Le interviste sono state caratterizzate da una stessa impostazione metodologica, frutto della fusione tra il modello etnosociologico (Bertaux 1999) e l’approccio dialogico (La Mendola 2009). L’etnografica ha avuto luogo in eventi formativi e sociali rivolti a doule nei quali ho preso parte in quanto doula e i diari alternano note osservative, metodologiche, teoriche ed emotive (Gobo 2001, Corsaro 1985) e passaggi autoetnografici (Ellis 1995, Ellis et al. 2011). Attraverso lo studio della professione della doula l’elaborato si propone di comprendere la nascita di una professione innovativa, da un punto di vista ecologico, analizzando quindi le competizioni interne ed esterne per la definizione della jurisdiction culturale e sociale. Inoltre, il lavoro ambisce a contribuire all’indagine dei processi di trasformazione che stanno interessando le professioni in Italia

Le donne rifugiate : l'esperienza del progetto "Fontego" del comune di Venezia e l'attività delle "Opere riunite Buon Pastore"

L'elaborato analizza la normativa internazionale e italiana che disciplina il diritto dei rifugiati. Si sofferma sulle linee guida dell'UNHCR volte a fornire parametri idonei per la valutazione delle richieste di protezione internazionale presentate da donne. Le donne, infatti, proprio per il loro genere, sono esposte a particolari tipi di persecuzione che conferiscono alla loro situazione una decisa specificità. Si è procduto con l'analisi del Progetto Fontego del Comune di Venezia e con la realizzazione di dieci interviste a donne rifugiate e richiedenti asilo accolte in questo progetto

La doula in Italia Nascita, formazione e legittimazione di una professione

The goal of this research is to analyze the arising of the doula profession in Italy. Doulas are professional who offer emotional, informational and practical support to women and their families, during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. The profile is born in U.S.A in the seventies and in Italy it began to develop at the end of nineties. The first Doula Training started in 2007. Nowadays doulas trained are six hundred and about half of them practice as professionals. Doula profession is ruled by law num.4/2013 “Disposizioni in materia di professioni non organizzate”. To understand how doulas are defining their space in the system of profession, the research will investigate doulas profession through the study of their practices, their representations and the processes developed to obtain cultural and social jurisdiction. In typical Chicago tradition and following in particular the work of Andrew Abbott (1988), the research will adopt the concept of profession. The history of a profession is influenced by the broader history of the system of professions. Doulas are involved in acquiring control of an area of work which is related to other professions in maternity care. Midwives constitute the professional group which is most involved in this process and, through their representative body, they are developing strong opposition to the arising of doula profession. The work is based on interviews and ethnography. The research shows the results of the analysis of 32 biographical interviews conducted with doulas, 14 with midwives and 4 privileged actors. Interviews share the same methodological basis, which match the ethno sociological approach (Bertaux 1999) with the dialogic approach (La Mendola 2009). The ethnographic work took place during trainings and meetings for doulas, where the researcher participated as a doula. Ethnographic notes (Gobo 2001, Corsaro 1985) are interwoven with autoethnografic ones (Ellis 1995, Ellis et al. 2011). Through the study of doula profession the work tries to understand the birth of a new profession in an ecological view, analyzing internal and external competition to the definition of cultural and social jurisdiction. Moreover this work aims at contributing to the study of transformative processes that affected professions in Italy

Doulas in Italy. The Emergence of a 'New' Care Profession

This book documents the emergence of doulas as care professionals in Italy, considers their training, practices, and representation, and analyses their role in national and international context. Doulas offer emotional, informational and practical support to women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Pamela Pasian explores the development of this ‘new’ profession and how doulas are defining their space in the Italian maternity care system. Whilst doulas are gaining recognition they are also facing opposition. The book reflects on the conflicts and collaborations between doulas and midwives, as well as relations between different doula associations. Interweaving ethnography and autoethnography, it will be of interest to anthropologists, sociologists and those working in health and maternity care