Politics for health promotion and the "learning places"

Abstract

What is the power of a health promotion politcs if it does not take the risk of walking in a democratic participation way, involving health care professionals and local people in a reciprocity manner? Today we are historically facing two representations that cause serious disruptions. The first one separates experts and laymen; the second, deepens the gap between politicians (the elected) and the citizen. We should then propose a "making together" in order to create the debate, the confrontation, to build a common world. From the perspective of the individual who transforming himself, changes his own world of uncertainties, this article aims to address the question of the "place" where the social action happens. How a place can be a "place of learning"? How the place participates of a collective action, as an expression of cultural identity and solidarity? A policy of health promotion can favorize the transforming action which proposes a exploration of the world based on learning, experimentation, deliberation and respect for plurality?