Conference Program
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
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Daily Overview |
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G.05. Decolonial Researches between Pedagogical Horizons and Critical-Participatory Methodologies (1/2) Location: Aule di Botanica (CU028): Aula Blu2 Convenor(s): Rosita Deluigi (Unimc – University of Macerata, Italy); Paola Dusi (Univr – University of Verona, Italy); Davide Zoletto (Uniud – University of Udine, Italy) | |
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Decolonising healthcare communication: Intercultural training for providers in the Intercomsalud Project 1: University of Alcalá, Spain; 2: University of Alcalá, Spain; 3: University of Alcalá, Spain; 4: University of Alcalá, Spain The following proposal presents the Spanish national project Intercomsalud as an example of culturally sensitive research grounded in participative methodologies and critical pedagogy. The project addresses structural inequalities in healthcare communication affecting migrant women in settings where linguistic, cultural and epistemic barriers often lead to exclusion and reduced quality of care (Pena Díaz, 2023; Cox & Maryns, 2021). Since the training offer regarding intercultural matters for healthcare providers is very limited in Spain (Álvaro Aranda, 2025), the Intercomsalud project proposes training methodologies addressed at providers that discuss interculturalism from a decolonial approach, attempting to eliminate unconscious bias and increase understanding when communicating with migrant patients. Methodologically, Intercomsalud adopts an interdisciplinary and participatory design. Its initial empirical phase, that took place in 2025, involved ethnographic observation and videorecording of clinical encounters between providers, migrant patients and, when available, an interpreter/intercultural mediator. Then, a specific tool was designed to analyse intercultural competence based on the affective, cognitive and behavioural processes of healthcare providers (Chen & Starosta, 1996; Deardorff, 2015) when interacting with patients from different backgrounds. Data gathered and analysed during this phase was then used in the creation of a training course addressed at healthcare providers and aimed at improving intercultural awareness and sensitivity. The course was conceived within a critical pedagogical framework that encourages trainees to question assumptions about knowledge, authority and patient–professional relationships, fostering cultural sensitivity and the questioning of institutional routines that might increase power asymmetries. Through practical exercises, reflective practices and intercultural discussion, the goal of the course is to increase the communicative abilities of healthcare providers in an intercultural medical setting and decrease the unconscious bias regarding cultural matters. The materials will be taught in 2026 both as an online and an onsite course to healthcare staff within the Community of Madrid, in Spain, and then tested by means of qualitative surveys to determine the potential of a wider application at a national level. The present proposal will showcase course, based on the analysis of intercultural competence of healthcare professionals, and then discuss the teaching and learning experience by means of qualitative surveys. The final goal of the Intercomsalud project is contributing to the improvement of healthcare services for migrants, fostering decolonial practices and introducing training options for healthcare providers working in intercultural contexts. | |