WORKSHOP: SOCIAL SERVICE AND URBAN POLICIES

The main goal of the course is to provide critical tools useful to grasp the processes through which practices of social work and local policies interact, in the context of the numerous changes - at the social, economic, cultural levels - experienced by contemporary cities in Italy and in Europe.
Special attention will be given on the one hand on the dynamics of intersectional inequality and marginality - based on class, race, gender, sexuality, disability - that are produced at the urban level, and on the other hand on the potential of social innovation represented by the forms of grassroots and participative initiative that most typically emerge at the city level.

More specific goals are the development of (1) analytical and critical skills applied to the transformation of existing social work practices and policies at the local and national level (2) the social research and methodological skills necessary to collect and analyse data on the local dimension of groups at risk of social exclusion (3) collaborative skills necessary to work in a team and to achieve shared project goals.

At the end of the course the students:
- Are able to critically discuss policies and social work practices in the thematic areas treated by the course
- Are able to offer a clear and constructive peer review (to other students) and responses (to experts), both in oral and in written forms
- Are able to formulate and conduct a small social science research project, in all of its phases. This includes: formulation of the project idea, writing of the research proposal, methodological and ethical issues, data collection, data analysis, research report writing.
- Are able to critically reflect on the situated construction of knowledge in the field of social work and related policies.

No specific previous knowledge is required. On the contrary: given the strong multi-disciplinary orientation of the course, the variety and diversity of backgrounds will enrich the work and the debate in the class.

The course will first address some of the main concepts and frames used in the field. Then, it will present the analysis of some case studies that will allow students to explore the actors, the policies, the practices, the processes and the open questions that are involved in the city interventions addressing social, economic and cultural changes.

The case studies will focus of the following areas of intervention:

- Public Spaces and Urban Regeneration
- Participatory local policies
- Sexual and Gender Diversity in public space and public services
- Prostitution and Sex Work
- Migration, Difference, Social Cohesion
- Turistification


The workshop is divided into three phases

CLASS WORK
Introduction to the workshop analytical and methodological approach.
Readings and class work preparing the thematic areas of the case studies.
Making of workings groups.

SEMINAR WORK
Interventions by invited speakers. Students will participate to the talks in an active workshop way, and will play the respondent role.

PROJECT WORK
The students will work on research projects, individually or group based, in the areas addressed through the case studies. The project will be first presented as proposals, then supervised by the teacher, and finally presented to the class.

The exact program will be provided the first day of the workshop.

The workshop is organised in thematic areas, for each area written and video materials will be made available later on the Moodle.

The evaluation is based on a written exam as well as on a paper and oral presentation developing a case-study project conducted individually or by a group of students under the teacher's supervision.

For the students unable to come to class - The course is also project based, the work must be done during the teaching period, and involves supervision meetings with the teacher.

written and oral

lectures, group work, seminars

Students are invited to develop, within the Course, a personalised reading and research approach that brings value to their life, study and work interests and experiences.
The proposed method requires each student active and ongoing involvement and participation. Namely, each step in the development of the student project work will be supervised and inter-vised by other students and by the teacher. This includes: formulation of the project idea, writing of the research proposal, methodological and ethical issues, data collection, data analysis, research report writing.

Students who experience accessibility or specific learning issues are warmly invited to contact the teacher (and the office disabilita@unive.it) at the beginning of the course.

Italian

For any further question, please do not hesitate to contact the teacher Giulia Garofalo Geymonat: giulia.garofalo@unive.it

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development