Un’agenda di ricerca per la sociologia del gioco d’azzardo

The paper advances a research agenda for the Sociology of Gambling. Firstly, it reviews the different approaches on the phenomenon within Gambling Studies. The medi- calised model of gambling, centred on the concept of problematic gambling, is still predomi- nant, while a fragmented body of sociological literature has addressed the topic since the end of the XIX century. Our argument is that the analysis of the social processes at the root of both gambling practice and industry is crucial to put forward a sociological comprehension of gambling. Finally, we propose the main topics to be developed within the sociological research on gambling: the role of social stratification in modelling gambling practices; the transformation of gambling in a cultural industry; the relationship between gambling in- dustry, the State and policy makers; gambling as a form of recreational consumption; the relationship between gambling and risk

MEDICINA CREATIVA: IL RUOLO DEI FUMETTI NEI CORSI DI LAUREA IN MEDICINA

This article presents the results of an exploratory study designed to investigate the expe- riences of medical students who attended comics-based courses during their education. Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted with U.S. and Canadian male and female students who had completed at least one course in the five years prior to the interview. The objective of the study was to understand the potential impact of the use of graphic narratives on the development of clinical empathy toward future patients and on the awareness of the different perspectives that characterize the illness experience. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that graphic tools mainly affected the formation of professional identity, understood as personal and collective identity. The comic strips seem to be useful in developing students’ critical thinking toward their training, the health care system more generally, and in processing the complex emotions associated with the transition to the future professional role

Agency in urgency and uncertainty. Vaccines and vaccination in European media discourses

Although Covid-19 was not the first pandemic, it was unique in the scale and intensity with which societies responded. Countries reacted differently to the threat posed by the new virus. The public health crisis affected European societies in many ways. It also influenced the way the media portrayed vaccines and discussed factors related to vaccine hesitancy. Europeans differed in their risk perceptions, attitudes towards vaccines and vaccine uptake. In European countries, Covid-19-related discourses were at the centre of media attention for many months. This paper reports on a media analysis which revealed significant differences as well as some similarities in the media debates in different countries. The study focused on seven European countries and considered two dimensions of comparison: between the pre-Covid period and the beginning of the Covid pandemic period, and between countries. The rich methodological approach, including linguistics, semantic field analysis and discourse analysis of mainstream news media, allowed the authors to explore the set of meanings related to vaccination that might influence actors' agency. This approach led the authors to redefine vaccine hesitancy in terms of characteristics of the “society in the situation” rather than the psychological profile of individuals. We argue that vaccine hesitancy can be understood in terms of agency and temporality. This dilemma of choice that transforms the present into an irreversible past and must be taken in relation to an uncertain future, is particularly acute under the pressure of urgency and when someone's health is at stake. As such, it is linked to how vaccine meaning is co-produced within public discourses

Los efectos de la crisis económica y del gerencialismo en el trabajo social: un estudio sobre las prácticas de trabajo y la remodelación de las relaciones

Introduction. This paper explores some of the recent transformations in social work in Italy, against the backdrop of the economic crisis and the processes of rationalization. Specifically, the aim is to understand the relationship between managerialism and professional autonomy in social work. Methodology. The article presents a qualitative study conducted in Northern Italy through 40 interviews with practitioners and managers from two different services. A comparative analysis of the representations of labor practices was performed. Results. Managerialism has direct consequences on social workers’ professional practices. Efforts to achieve efficiency have led to the standardization of work and curtailed professional autonomy. Bureaucratic tasks have encroached on working time, leaving less time for professional relations. Discussion and conclusions. The rise of managerialism can deplete the ethical content of social work practice. However, empirical data show that there is no confrontation between managers and practitioners, and that there are no signs of collective strategies of resistance to the risk of de-professionalization.Introducción. El propósito de este trabajo es comprender algunas de las recientes transformaciones en el Trabajo Social in Italia, en el contexto de la crisis económica y los procesos de racionalización. Específicamente, el objetivo es el conocimiento de la relación entre el gerencialismo y la autonomía profesional del Trabajo Social. Metodología. El artículo presenta una investigación cualitativa, realizada en el norte de Italia mediante 40 entrevistas con profesionales y directivos de dos servicios diferentes. El método de investigación se centra en el análisis comparativa de las representaciones de las prácticas laborales. Resultados. El gerencialismo tiene consecuencias directas en las prácticas profesionales de los trabajadores sociales. La búsqueda de la eficiencia ha llevado a la estandarización del trabajo e a la reducción de la autonomía profesional. La redefinición del tiempo de trabajo, debido a la ampliación de tareas burocráticas, reduce el espacio dedicado a la relación profesional. Discusión y conclusiones. El desarrollo del gerencialismo puede agotar los contenidos éticos de la práctica del Trabajo Social. Sin embargo, los datos empíricos muestran la ausencia de un enfrentamiento entre gestores y profesionales; no hay indicios de estrategias colectivas de resistencia al riesgo de desprofesionalización