2018 Society. Health. Welfare. conference

Society. Health. Welfare has become an internationally recognised conference which brings together researchers and specialists from various fields: sociology, public relations and communication, health and rehabilitation, pedagogy and psychology, social welfare and social work, economics, law and political science.

The 7th Society. Health. Welfare conference in October 2018 was dedicated to urban and rural studies from different perspectives. Cities and the countryside are traditionally associated not only with differences in lifestyle but also with differences in opportunities, highlighting the gap between centres and peripheries.

From a rural perspective, practical issues such as access to health, education, humanitarian services, employment, as well demographic processes, leisure and culture, etc. are still relevant.

The opportunities of contemporary modern society make it possible to experience the rhythm of a globalised world and build links and contacts that today contribute to the gradual convergence of contrast between the cities and the countryside.

The organisers of the conference invite researchers to share and spread their knowledge and experience about transformations and resilience development strategies in urban-rural life in the context of global-local interchanges.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Thematic blocks

• Political and Economic Determinants of Urban-Rural Development
• Urban-Rural Linkages and Implications for Lifestyle and Socio Cultural Development
• Community-Based Health Care and Health Promotion
• Potential of Human and Social Capital in Urban-Rural Development
• Urban / Rural Linkages and Impact on Community Safety
• Social Enterprise as Potential for Development of Social Services and Community Welfare
• Pre-conference workshops: medical education, rehabilitation, social work
• Symposium of young researchers

Conference schedule

Wednesday, 10 October, the conference opening event will be followed by a plenary session on the reduction of inequality in the areas of health and welfare, moderated by Matt Muijen, representative of the World  Health Organization and Professor Inga Millere, Dean of the RSU Faculty of Public Health and Social Welfare. The session will cover topics relating to mental health in Europe, social dynamics and political reality in an era of global transformation, differences in reproductive health between urban and rural Latvia and others. A plenary session on education in the context of health and welfare will be moderated by RSU Vice Rector for Studies, Tatjana Ko'ke and Albert van der Kooij. The session will cover topics such as next generation life-long medical education, simulation technologies, students in research and other questions relating to education. Work in the second part of the day will be organised in five parallel sessions, as well as various workshops. 

Thursday, 11 October, will begin with a plenary session devoted to life-long health and welfare which will be moderated by Professor Inga Millere, Dean of the RSU Faculty of Public Health and Social Welfare and faculty staff member at University of Washington, Paul A. Keire. Topics to be covered in this session will be medical error, informal education, mental health and others. Following the plenary session, a number of parallel sessions will held, discussing issues of public health, rehabilitation, welfare and social services, as well as legal issues. From 15:00 poster presentations are scheduled. The IV International Audiology Conference will be held in conjunction with the conference from 9:00 to 17:00 at 16 Dzirciema iela. 

Finally, on Friday, 12 October, the conference has scheduled a workshop, led by Griffith University (Australia) Professor Gail Whiteford and University of Washington academic Paul A. Keire.

The conference will bring together experts in the field of healthcare from the Baltic States, USA, Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Great Britain, Netherlands, Slovakia, Finland, Ukraine and Sweden.

Conference Secretariat and Technical Organisers