Medicine, Health and Society in Europe: 
Trends and Prospects

Call for papers

ITEMS  (Identifying Trends in European Medical Space - Contribution of
European Social and Human Sciences) is a research network funded by the
5th Framework Program of the European Commission. The network includes
23 partners from 10 European countries. Its main aims are to synthesize
current research and training in the human and social sciences focusing
on medicine and health, and to structure an European multidisciplinary
research and training network in this field. ITEMS is organized around
four main axes: 1) the transformations of the biomedical sciences and
their impact on the definitions of disease, health and care; 2) the
participation of users in medical activities and debates in the context
of different political traditions; 3) coordination in health
organizations, with a focus on the role of information and communication
technologies; 4) articulations of health, social and political issues.

On the 15th - 17th of December 2004, ITEMS will organize a symposium in
Coimbra, Portugal, which will gather the researchers involved in the
network and other participants with an interest in this area. The aim of
the symposium is to map and discuss European research on themes related
to the four axes and to identify prospective partners for widening the
network.

We invite researchers with interest or work in progress on themes
related to any of the four axes to submit proposals of papers for the
symposium, based on ongoing or completed projects. In contrast to usual
procedures and given the aim of the symposium, we would like to get a
sense of the research project on which each contribution will be based.
Submissions should include a description of the aims of the project,
hypotheses, methodology and results or current status of the project.
Proposals should not exceed 2,000 words (electronic version, Microsoft
Word). A short CV of the author(s) CV should be added to the proposal.  

Submissions will be accepted until 15 March 2004. Since the number of
participants in the symposium is limited, submissions will be reviewed
and selected by a scientific committee. 

Proposals should be sent to:
Joćo Arriscado Nunes (jan@ces.uc.pt), 
responsible for the organisation of the symposium

For more information on ITEMS, please contact the main coordinator: 
Madeleine Akrich, Vololona Rabeharisoa (itemsnet@ensmp.fr)

Back to ISHPSSB Listserv on the Web