OVERVIEW

Anthropology is an ever-evolving science with different goals of inquiry.

Alongside the more classical physical anthropology, extremely interesting branches have developed over the decades, such as philosophical anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnic Anthropology etc etc....

In relation to the degree course in Medicine and Surgery it seemed useful, also aligning with the curricula developed nationally at other universities, to focus on physical anthropology by analyzing six main themes such as: Human evolution, acquisition of upright posture, morphometrics, constitutionalism, auxometrics, and anatomical and ethnic variations.

AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

The anthropological approach and physical anthropology in particular, proposed to the student of the Bachelor of Medicine degree program, constitutes the formative objective of this educational module, as a basic premise to the vast world of knowledge of man in various aspects and mainly in his physical complexity, acquired in the course of evolution; in the characterizations of the constitution of the body; in the moments of physical and structural development and growth; in the morphological variations part of which is related to the genetic heritage; in the physical characterization of the various ethnic groups and and finally to the concept of adaptation to the environment, health and disease.

To know the fields of study of Anthropology, understood as the natural history of man.

To know the transformations of the human body in the course of evolution.

Educational objectives (detail)

To know the transformations of the human body in the progressive acquisition of upright posture.

To know the characteristics of the human body in relation to different constitutional types

To know the somatic features and morphological aspects characterizing individuals and ethnic groups.

Know the main auxological concepts

To know the main anatomical variations of the human body

Know shape abnormalities and correlations with dysmorphological phenotypic features

Know the concept of human adaptation to the environment

Know the concept of health and disease.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding

Be able to critically and consciously use the concepts learned.

Autonomy of judgment

Acquire autonomy of judgment with reference to the issues the discipline deals with, extendable to broader social issues and questions.

Communication skills

Learn the disciplinary language and evaluative methodologies of anthropology and learn to use them appropriately in reporting on the subjects covered in the course.

Learning skills

Acquire adequate skills in independent reading of anthropological texts.

Critical skill

Expected results

Have acquired adequate knowledge and an effective ability to understand the concepts expressed during the teaching activities

To be able to apply the acquired knowledge and to understand and solve problems referring to anthropology in all its extensions

To know how to use both conceptually and operationally the acquired knowledge with autonomous evaluation ability and skill in different medical and health application contexts.

To develop adequate learning skills that will enable them to continue to deepen autonomously the main themes of the discipline, especially in the work contexts in which they will work.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Introduction

Definition of the subject

Fields of study of anthropology

Human/environment adaptation       

Adaptation to the natural environment

            Adaptation to the man-made environment

            Geo anthropology      

Evolutionary  

            Evolutionary theories

            Paleontology

            Evolution of the genus Homo

            Development of the neurocranium

            Acquisition of upright stature

            Acquisition of prehensile capacity

Anthropometry           

            Measurement of the skeleton

            Sexual characteristics

            Skeletal and dental stress indicators

Constitutionalistics    

            Body composition

            Anthropological types

            Continuous and discontinuous characters

            Individual somatic differences

Auxology and aging   

            Stages of growth

            Somatometry/body measurements

            Stages of somatic aging

Population sciences  

Variants and abnormalities

            Physiognomy and variants

            Ethnic differentiation

            Ethnic characteristics

Paleopathology          

Pathocenosis

            Materials and methods of paleopathology

            Diseases of the past

Ethnomedicine           

            Alternative medicine

            Ritual medicine

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Guerci A, Dall’antropologia all’antropopoiesi. Breve saggio sulle rappresentazioni e costruzioni della variabilità umana. Ed. C. Lucisano, Milano, 2007

Mezzogiorno V. Morfo-tipologia umana. Piccin Padova. 1988.

Sineo L., Moggi Cecchi J.. Manuale di antropologia. Evoluzione e Biodiversità umana. UTET, Torino 2022.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIANLUCA DAMONTE (President)

NICOLA GIOVANNI GIRTLER (President)

EZIO FULCHERI

ROSAGEMMA CILIBERTI (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The lessons will take place in the 1° semester

The class schedule will be available at the following link: https://easyacademy.unige.it › portalestudenti

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written exam will verify the acquisition of the basic knowledge of the teaching. The questions will allow to evaluate the ability to apply the acquired knowledge in both theoretical and practical fields. You will have to be able to connect and integrate the knowledge learned during the lessons with the knowledge acquired during individual study. The written exam (multiple choice quiz) will mainly focus on the topics covered during both theoretical and practical lessons and will aim to evaluate not only the achievement of an adequate level of basic knowledge, but also the acquisition of the ability to analyse critically the questions that will be asked during the exam.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

In case of certification of specific learning disability, disability or other special educational needs, please contact both the Department contact person, Prof. Nicola Girtler, and the lecturer at the beginning of the lectures to agree on teaching and exam methods which, in compliance of the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods and provide suitable compensatory/dispensatory tools recognized by the University SLD Student Service.