The 13th Biennial Congress of the

European Society for Health and Medical Sociology

26-28th  August 2010 - Ghent University, Belgium

http://www.eshms2010.be/

 THEME:

Health and Well-Being in Radically

Changing Societies.

There  has  been  a  significant  heightening  of  the  importance  of  the  issues  of  mental  health  and wellbeing   in   Europe   and   elsewhere.  In   all   advanced   economies,   mental   health   conditions   are expected  in  the  near  future  to  be  the  most  important  determinants  of  the  quality  of  life  of  those

directly  or  indirectly  involved.  To  better  understand  both  personal  and  societal  consequences,  the

2010  congress  of  the  ESHMS  focuses  on  the  social  and  cultural  conditions  affecting  the  health  and

subjective  wellbeing  of  the  population  in  general  and  of  vulnerable  minorities  more  specifically.  The

present   financial   and   economic crisis;  the   opportunities  and   pitfalls  of  the transition  to  market

economies in former communist  countries; changes in the gendered division of care and employment

are but some of the relevant societal transformations.

The   congress  will   provide   a   forum   for   presentation  of   sociologically  informed   research  and   for

discussions  regarding  the  social  embeddedness  of  health  and  subjective  wellbeing.  Topics  can  range

from  conceptualizing wellbeing or mental health, to exploring related concepts- such as burnout  and

alienation.  Other  topics  within  the  scope  of  the  conference  include  also  the  organization  of  mental

health  services;  deinstitutionalization  and  rehabilitation;  the  stigma  of  mental  illness;  the  role  of

therapists in society; and   the Western focus on the self as a pillar of mental health and wellbeing.

 In addition to  these  topics,  which are  the  focus of the  2010  conference,  we  invite  scholars to  submit

abstracts for oral and poster presentations on all health-related sociological and social epidemiological

topics of interest. Proposals for sessions are also welcomed.

Further  details,  a  call  for  sessions,  a  call  for  abstracts,  and  a  conference  website  will  be

announced soon.

Contact  information:  Piet  Bracke,  Dep.  of  Sociology,  Ghent  University,  Korte  Meer  5,  9000

GHENT, Belgium, Piet.Bracke@UGent.be