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Completed projects

Bodies, culture, history

The research, launched in 2004, after a short mission to Cuba (Havana), aims at promoting an analysis of the forms of religious and aesthetic codes in relation to issues such as illness, social conflict, uncertainty, dynamics historical-cultural, poverty, production of new cultural expressions. 
After the first contacts established with the Institute Fernando Ortiz (Havana), the Psychiatric Hospital of Havana, the University of Fortaleza (Brazil), Faculté de Lettres, des Sciences Sociales des Arts in September (Bamako, Mali) University of Porto Novo (Benin), the amount of contributions received made it necessary to define at this early stage research to only two countries, Mali and Cuba.
Research on Afro-Cuban religions and Afro-Brazilian showed long as deities and cults of African origin have been developed and rooted in the new continent from the slave trade. But beyond the common origin is the use of social existence that determines the identity of this or that cultural research will therefore examine the contemporary forms that gods and spirits take within particular social and religious contexts. 
A second chapter of research concerns the exploration of local knowledge of care, their ability to meet the care needs (especially in the field of mental disorders, both in adults who in childhood). 
A third line of research concerns the aesthetic and ritual expressions (dance, theater, music, visual arts etc.) of some cultures, including the Cuban, analyzed in more detail in their articles with the themes of the collective, the social contradictions or individual conflicts.

Coordinator: Prof. Roberto Benedice

The autistic child in Italy and Cuba: a cross-cultural comparison

For a deeper understanding of the causes and factors that form the basis of the autistic syndromes, it seems necessary to adopt an integrated perspective, encompassing the different areas of research, and could, therefore, better to embrace the complex nature of autism. 
This type of focus, provides a multi-factorial etiopathogenetic theory, integrating the genetic level, biological, medical, neurobiological, psychological and socio-cultural.Through an integrated approach, which stresses the interaction between different factors, it is therefore possible to establish the nature and role of risk and protective factors in the evolution of the symptomatic picture. A deeper analysis of these issues would allow the design of effective interventions for primary prevention, secondary and tertiary education.With the aim to deepen understanding of these aspects of autism and how they depend on genetic factors, or factors of learning and culture more generally, the way forward, albeit new, never explored, is the cross-cultural research. This project aims to develop such a perspective, by comparing samples of autistic children and adolescents in Cuba and Italy. 

Coordinator: Prof. Dario Galati

Socio-psychological research on architectural and urban district of central Havana and the proposal for urban renewal

This project’s goal is to offer an example of research and design used in a broader plan for urban renewal of the historic center of Havana in Cuba during the redevelopment will be carried out according to a participatory design capable of take into account both the needs of the recovery and preservation of the rich urban heritage of the historic center of Havana and the needs of the population that lives in that neighborhood. The action-project is part of a set of national and international initiatives aimed at regeneration and recovery of historic neighborhoods Ciutad de La Habana, a unique example in Latin America for the conservation of the ancient urban fabric of a Spanish colonial town, built in over three centuries, from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. For its particular architectural value and for its remarkable value of historical testimony, the oldest part of the historic center of Havana has already been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. 

Coordinator: Prof. Dario Galati

Applied Physics Research

The collaboration between the Department of Experimental Physics, University of Turin, the Turin Section of INFN, the University of Eastern Piedmont and two Cuban institutions (INSTEC: Instituto Superior de Tecnologias y Ciencias aplicadas and CEADEN: Centro de Aplicaciones Tecnológicas y Desarrollo Nuclear) has a dozen years and has developed along different lines, different programs funded by UNESCO, EU, University and INFN. 

  • The main field of research initially developed detection systems for low energy X-rays using silicon micro-sensors and integrated electronics specifically developed in our laboratories. These detectors are used in mammography and angiography (two years, including the application to the analysis of pigments on paintings is being studied), and are advantageous over existing systems in that, while maintaining a very high efficiency of detection and spatial precision, require significantly lower doses of radiation. 
  • For several years it conducted a technical development of distributed computing (GRID) applied to data analysis and sharing digital mammography and CT of the lung, as part of MAGIC-5. Some algorithms developed for research in fundamental physics have been adapted for use in medicine for the detection of lesions. 
  • For two years, three colleagues from the Havana entered officially part of the ALICE experiment at CERN, dedicated to the study of high-energy collisions of nuclei. A few months ago, two graduate students have started their work in this field of view. The official participation in ALICE, of which Turin is the promoter, is the necessary prerequisite to the signing of a cooperation agreement between Cuba and CERN, currently under negotiation, which would open the prospect of major Cuban institutions access to advanced technologies and programs frontier research. 

Coordinator: Prof.ssa Alberta Marzari Chiesa

La Ruta del Viento

In collaboration with the Resistant Human Societies Association (SUR),  the project aims to promote  a deeper knowledge of the history of Latin America through a series of meetings on Haiti, Mexico, Argentina, Peru and Cuba. The project has been structured through a series of initiatives implemented since April 2006 and presented through readings, films, videos, high-quality musics and exhibitions of new works created by artists in every country participating in the project. 

Coordinator: Prof. Alberto Guaraldo

Documentary on the involvement of an Italian, Gino Done, the first phase of the Cuban revolution

 This documentary documents the landing of the Granma and the early stages of the Cuban revolution in the early '50s. The documentary will be presented in a series of public meetings in Turin and Havana. 

Coordinator: Prof. Gilberto Forneris

Creation of a documentation center "Casa Piemonte"

Dedicated to the figure and work of the industrialist Piedmont Dino Pogolotti. The initiative will highlight the work of an entrepreneur who moved to Piedmont Havana at the beginning of the last century promoted the development of industry in Cuba. 
The project "Pogolotti" sponsored and funded by the Regione Piemonte, through the Directorate of Cultural Promotion, Education and Entertainment has developed in several phases:

  • sociological research, with bibliographic and photographic collection, the activity of Dino Pogolotti and his barrio avanense, whose results are contained in the publication "Dino Pogolotti: a Piedmont Havana"
  • theatrical performance by Assembly Theatre "Deep Roots: The Century of Pogolotti" (related publication)
  • theater for children by Assembly Theatre "Born to Fly" - a long journey and adventures of the ingenious Domenico Pogolotti said Dino - (on publication)
  • proposal for the restructuring of one of the houses built by Dino Pogolotti site in the district. The restored buildings will be used as a cultural center "Casa Piemonte".

Coordinator: Dott.ssa Mariangela Nasi Marengo

Scientific Cooperation in Biotechnologies

A project of cooperation between the University of Turin and the Centro de Ingenieria Genetica y Biotecnologia de la Habana, concerning stem cells, bioinformatics and development of amimal models for the study and development of  drugs in oncology has been realized.

Coordinator: Prof. Lorenzo Silengo