European Sociological Association

Research Network 16 – Sociology of Health & Medicine

Mid-Term Conference

Health in the Anthropocene: Sociological Analysis, Reflections, and Implications

11 – 12 June 2025

‘Health in the Anthropocene: Sociological Analysis, Reflections, and Implications’

Several decades after the first warnings from the scientific community about the impact of climate and environmental changes on human health and well-being, the challenges posed by the Anthropocene era are evident. Crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and land-use changes are driving ecosystems into new and unstable configurations, with profound consequences for human health. Sociology has the potential to contribute with empirically-driven analyses of the health-environmental nexus as well as to inspire and inform policies to address health crises

The purpose of this conference is to stimulate academic discussions about the nexus of health and environment, and provoke debate about the contribution that sociology could have, as well as to share local, national, and global answers for this planetary emergency.

Conference Chairs

Ana Patrícia Hilário, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais Universidade de Évora, (CICS.NOVA.UÉVORA), Portugal

Catarina Delaunay, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA), Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Keynotes

Ève Dubé
Associate professor
Department of Anthropology
Faculty of Social Sciences
Québec-Université

Tiago Correia
Associate professor with Habilitation
Department of Global Public Health
Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa

Venue

Universidade de Évora, Colégio Espírito Santo, Largo dos Colegiais Nº 2, Évora, 7000-803, Portugal

Submission Process

Abstracts must be submitted in English and consist of:

a) Title

b) Keywords (maximum four)

b) Abstract (max. 300 words)

c) Author (s) name, affiliation, and email address

d) Session number and name

Please note that each author can send a maximum of two abstracts (one as the first author).

Fees

PhD Students – 149 Euros

ESA/RN16 Members – 199 Euros

CICS.NOVA Members – 199 Euros

Non-Members – 249 Euros

(Include registration, coffee breaks, lunch and social dinner)

Local Organising Committee

Ana Patrícia Hilário, Universidade de Évora, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA.UÉVORA), Portugal

Catarina Delaunay, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA), Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Fábio Rafael Augusto, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

Rosalina Pisco Costa, Universidade de Évora, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA.UÉVORA), Portugal

Alexandra Batista, Universidade de Évora, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA.UÉVORA), Portugal

Ana Estevens, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA), Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Ana Ferreira, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA), Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Helena Serra, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA), Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Bianca Pires Vieira, Open Soc, Portugal

Submission Process

The abstracts should be sent to rn16midtermconf@gmail.com and conference organizers Ana Patrícia Hilário (patriciahilario@gmail.com) and Catarina Delaunay (catarinadelaunay@fcsh.unl.pt). All abstracts should be submitted by the 30^th of January. Submitters will receive a response by the 20th of February 2025. The registration process will close at 15^th of March 2025.

Sessions

Session 1: Epidemics and Pandemics in the Digital Age: ‘Contested knowledge’, Health and Vaccine Acceptance
Session 2: AI-driven healthcare: Exploring the sociological dimensions of lay experience
Session 3: The Social Lives of Antibiotics and Beyond: Understanding Prescription Practices, Overdiagnosis, and the Dynamics of Drug Use
Session 4: Narratives and Emotions in a Changing World
Session 5: Toward an applied health sociology
Session 6: Healthcare systems in humanitarian and environmental challenged environments: investigations in the Global Health approach
Session 7: Medical expertise in the age of algorithms
Session 8: Sociology of Health and Illness in Portugal: themes, perspectives and approaches from an evolving field
Session 9: The Place of Narratives and Emotions in Sexual and Reproductive Health
Session 10: For a Sociology of Childbirth: Understanding the social and cultural dimensions of birth
Session 11: Critical grassroots perspectives and initiatives on sexual and reproductive health
Session 12: Coordination work and care practices in the use of telehealth in chronic care settings
Session 13: Children and young people in the Anthropocene Era: the role of visual, creative, and participatory methods to enhance their voice
Session 14: Disability and mental health during global health crises
Session 15: Caring experiences and supportive policies: the challenge of informal caregiving
Session 16: Global Challenges for Healthy Aging
Session 17: Resilient issues and emerging needs in palliative and end-of-life care. The perspective of health sociology
Session 18: Aging in Motion: Addressing Challenges and Opportunities for Migrant Older Adults
Session 19: Open Session

Practicalities

To go from Lisbon (Sete Rios) to Évora by public transport you can take a train or a bus (www.cp.pt or www.rede-expressos.pt/en)

Scientific Committee

(RN16 Board)

Ana Patrícia Hilário, Universidade de Évora, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA.UÉVORA), Portugal

Catarina Delaunay, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais (CICS.NOVA), Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Dino Numerato, Charles University, Czechia

Francesca Greco, University of Udine, Italy

Valeria Quaglia, University of Bologna, Italy

Sandra Racionero-Plaza, University of Barcelona, Spain

Alice Scavarda, Turin University, Italy

An Skiba, University of Warsaw, Poland

European Sociological Association, ESA

Universidade de Évora, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais, (CICS.NOVA.UÉVORA), Portugal

Contact: rn16midtermconf@gmail.com