Upcoming and Recent Events, Research, and Visiting Scholars
The Future of Vaccine Hesitancy with Stuart Blume
Exploring the origins, uses, and future of ‘vaccine hesitancy’
Stuart Blume, Professor Emeritus of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Amsterdam, led a seminar discussing the development of the concept of ‘vaccine hesitancy’. His research focuses on the introduction of new healthcare technologies, including his book Immunization: How Vaccines Became Controversial (Reaktion, 2017/2021).
This seminar examined how the term ‘vaccine hesitancy’ has evolved and its implications for public health policy and discourse.
Vaccine Hesitancy: The History of an Idea
Speaker: Katie Attwell, University of Western Australia & Visiting Scholar, Uehiro Oxford Institute
The concept of vaccine hesitancy has been widely used in public health and policy discussions over the past decade. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared vaccine hesitancy a top ten threat to human health in 2019. However, some experts argue that the term has been misapplied, sometimes shifting blame onto individuals rather than addressing systemic healthcare challenges.
This talk, based on in-depth interviews with global experts and an analysis of WHO working group documents from 2012-2014, explores how the idea of vaccine hesitancy developed and spread among policymakers, researchers, media, and the public.
📅 No booking required for this event.
Sexualising Cancer: HPV and the Politics of Cancer Prevention
Speaker: Prof. Laura Mamo, San Francisco State University
Laura Mamo, Director of the Health Equity Institute at San Francisco State University, discussed her latest book, which examines how the search for a viral cause of cancer has reshaped public perceptions of cancer prevention. Her work explores the intersections between sex, sexuality, and health, offering a fresh perspective on the role of HPV vaccination in cancer prevention strategies.
Visiting Researchers at Vaccines & Society
Dr Samuel d’Almeida – Visiting Researcher (from October 2024)
Samuel d’Almeida is a French medical doctor with expertise in health statistics and policy. He studied at Paris-Saclay, the London School of Economics (LSE), and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). His research at Vaccines & Society will focus on global health policy and vaccine distribution strategies.
Prof. Janice Graham – Visiting Researcher (since April 2023)
Janice Graham, a medical anthropologist from Dalhousie University, Canada, specialises in emerging biotherapeutics and vaccines. Her work examines the construction of evidence in clinical research and regulatory practice, focusing on safety, efficacy, and trust. Her research spans Canada, Europe, and Africa, drawing on fields such as Science and Technology Studies (STS) and bioethics.
Vaccine Mandates, Hesitancy, and Compliance
Speaker: Prof. Katie Attwell
Prof. Katie Attwell recently presented her research to the Oxford Vaccine Group, exploring the impact of vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her study, conducted in Western Australia, investigates why some individuals comply with mandates while others resist, highlighting how vaccine refusal is shaped by civic duty, social pressures, and government policies.
Her findings reveal that while mandates can change some behaviours, they can also backfire, entrenching resistance and fostering communities of non-compliance.
📺 Watch her ‘Vaccine Mandates’ talk at the Vaccines and Society launch here.