GWG on Salutogenesis
Background
What is the Salutogenic orientation?
Salutogenesis is a concept originally developed by Aaron Antonovsky (1979, 1987). In the broadest sense, salutogenesis refers to a scholarly orientation focusing attention on the study of the origins of health, instead of the origins of disease. In essence, salutogenesis is concerned with positive health, creating coherent living environments, strengthening socio-ecological health resources as well as strengthening the sense of coherence of individuals and groups. As all these aspects well align with the orientation of health promotion, salutogenesis has become a guiding theory for the field of health promotion (see Handbook of Salutogenesis).
Background and Organisation
The Global Working Group was established in 2007 at the IUHPE General Assembly, in Vancouver, Canada – to advance and promote the science of salutogenesis within health promotion.
The Global Working Group on Salutogenesis (GWG-Sal) is an international and interdisciplinary group with the following membership: the group consist of up to 20 members representing different world regions and research areas of salutogenesis. Members are elected by this group for a period of 5 years (repeated elections possible). It is responsible for implementing the action plan of the GWG-Sal.
To broaden the reach of Salutogenesis within and beyond the field of health promotion, the GWG-SAL founded the Society for Theory and Research on Salutogenesis STARS as a transdisciplinary platform for scientific exchange between researchers in the field of salutogenesis. The society is a bridge between the International Union for Health Promotion and Education's (IUHPE) Global Working Group on Salutogenesis (GWG-Sal), and the broader scientific community working in areas other than health promotion. STARS welcomes anyone with an interest in the science of salutogenesis! register here!
Mission
Mission
Ø To advance and promote the science of salutogenesis (philosophy, theory, methodology, evidence) and thus to contribute to the scientific base of health promotion and of the IUHPE
Objectives
Along with the general aims of the GWGs of the IUHPE, the GWG-Sal pursues the following objectives:
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salutogenesis-related agenda-setting for, within and beyond the IUHPE;
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contribution of the salutogenic approach to the IUHPE and other scientific programs;
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engage with key (regional) research fields and stakeholders for capacity building regarding salutogenesis.
Working principles
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Considering principles of the Ottawa Charter
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Inclusiveness regarding regions, gender, age etc.
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Coherent work plan: comprehensible, manageable, meaningful for GWG members
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Voluntary engagement through joyful experience
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Feasibility: link meetings of GWG-Sal to related health promotion conferences
Work plan 2016-2021
If you like to know more about or get involved in any of the below activities, please contact the Chair of the GWG-Sal: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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“Society for Theory and Research on Salutogenesis” STARS (founded in 2017): STARS provides a trans-disciplinary platform for exchange between researchers in the field of salutogenesis. STARS reaches out to researchers beyond the field of health promotion who can contribute new approaches and new areas of application of salutogenesis. The GWG-Sal acts as a bridge between this society and the IUHPE and is responsible for its activities.
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Organize the 6. International Conference on Salutogenesis – advancing Salutogenesis towards thriving societies, 17th-18th June, 2021 in Girona, Spain. More information: http://www.iuhpeconferences21.com/
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Contribute to scientific conferences and seminars related to salutogenesis:
- IUHPE European Health Promotion Conference Girona 2021; Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (LINK: http://www.iuhpeconferences21.com/)
- IUHPE Global Health Promotion Conference Montreal, Canada 2022. (research seminar, sub-plenary salutogenesis) Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ((LINK: https://iuhpe2022.com ))
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Publish a position paper on advancing the concept of Salutogenesis: published in Health Promotion International: https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daz057
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Compile a second edition of the Handbook of Salutogenesis. Editors: Maurice B. Mittelmark (corresponding); Georg F. Bauer; Bengt Lindstrom; Jurgen M. Pelikan; Shifra Sagy; Monica Eriksson; Lenneke Vaandrager; Claudia Meier Magistretti. Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Organize annual meetings of the GWG-Sal
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Provide up-dated information on the website of GWG-Sal: please send news regarding Salutogenesis to the Chair of the GWG-Sal This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Membership
Chair
Georg Bauer, Switzerland This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
HQ
Center of Salutogenesis, Division Public & Organizational Health, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Membership
Name | Institution / area of expertise | |
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Bauer, Georg F. (chair)
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Switzerland Center of Salutogenesis, Division Public & Organizational Health, Institute EBPI, University of Zurich |
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Antonovsky, Avishai
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Israel Department of Mental Health at the Medical Corps of the Israeli Defense Forces, Ramat-Gan
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Arveklev-Höglund, Susanna
Gunnarsdóttir, Hrafnhildur |
Sweden |
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Brauchli, Rebecca |
Switzerland |
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Bakibinga, Pauline
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Kenya |
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Contu, Paulo
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Italy |
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Daniel, Marguerite
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Professor Marguerite Daniel
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Juvinya, Dolors |
Spain |
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Downe, Soo
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UK |
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Lindström, Bengt
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Norway |
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Mana, Adi |
Israel |
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Maass, Ruca
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Norway |
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Meier Magistretti, Claudia
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Mittelmark, Maurice
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Nunes, Luis Saboga
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Portugal |
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Pelikan, Jürgen
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Austria |
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Roy, Mathieu
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Canada University of Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada Scientific advisor for the Québec National Institute of Public Health https://www.usherbrooke.ca/recherche/specialistes/?getSpecialist=220716&page=1 |
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Sagy, Shifra
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Israel |
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Shorey, Shefaly
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Singapore |
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Vaandrager, Lenneke Bouwnmann, Laura |
Netherlands |
News & Activities
Conference 2021:
6. International Conference on Salutogenesis
Advancing Salutogenesis towards thriving
societies
June 17 - 18, 2021
Girona, Spain
Conference Information, click here!
Publications
Future directions for the concept of salutogenesis: a position article
G F Bauer M Roy P Bakibinga P Contu S Downe M Eriksson G A Espnes B B Jensen D Juvinya Canal B Lindström A Mana M B Mittelmark A R Morgan J M Pelikan L Saboga-Nunes S Sagy S Shorey L Vaandrager H F Vinje, Health Promotion International, daz057, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daz057
Published: 20 June 2019
The Handbook on Salutogenesis, compiling the work of 80 global authors.
It is an open source publication, available for free download at: http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-04600-6
Previous Conferences and Activities
23rd IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion,
7 - 11 April 2019, Rotorua, Aotearoa New Zealand

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10th IUHPE European Conference and International Forum for Health Promotion research:
September 23rd - 27th 2018, Trondheim, Norway
https://www.ntnu.no/blogger/healthpromotion/category/conferences/
Activities 2017:
Symposium and Launch
September 8, 2017, University of Zurich
Center of Salutogenesis - about the origin of positive health
Program
For details and registration, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
New Center of Salutogenesis at the University of Zurich
On September 8 2017 the University of Zurich founds the Center of Salutogenesis with support by a private foundation. The Center aims for the scientific advancement and dissemination of Salutogenesis.
The Center is part of the Division Public and Organizational Health of the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute of the Faculties of Medicine and Sciences. The chair of the center is Georg Bauer.
More information:
Conference
January 24, 2017, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
Salutogenesis: The Journey from its Origins at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev to a Global Movement
Program
http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/humsos/MartinSpringer/Site%20Assets/Pages/default/invitation-jan2017.pdf
For details and registration, please contact Sharón Benheim, Martin Springer Center for Conict Studies: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.