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Pro-vax

Supporting Vaccines through Activism, Petitions, and Trials

by Samantha Vanderslott (Author)
Monographs XXII, 186 Pages

Summary

«With Pro-vax, Samantha Vanderslott opens a whole new avenue of research. This thought-provoking book will be a landmark for years to come as the research community moves towards a richer understanding of contemporary debates surrounding vaccination.»
(Dr Jeremy Ward, Chargé de Recherche, INSERM)

«Vanderslott’s book, Pro-vax, sheds light on the important dimension of positive activism around vaccination, which is against the tide of a challenging environment that she also considers in her thoughtful, well-written book.»
(Professor Heidi Larson, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, LSHTM)

«This book tackles a distinction we have taken for granted for too long: that between anti-vaccine and pro-vaccine attitudes. Building on her longstanding expertise in the history and politics of vaccination, Samantha Vanderslott provides a compelling account of pro-vaccine movements. By shifting our attention to those who express public support for vaccination, and away from those who do not, this book represents a unique intervention in both scholarly and political discourse. With its use of historical sources, images, and accessible language, the book will be invaluable for scholars of vaccination and vaccine advocates alike.»
(Assistant Professor Katharina T. Paul, Department of Political Science, University of Vienna)

Vaccination is both a social activity on a grand scale and an experience that is very personal and individual. Add to the mix the understanding of vaccination in culture, the media, and others around us in society, and attitudes to vaccination become complex. For a long time, the concentration has been on attitudes to vaccination by those who are in opposition (the «anti-vax»), neglecting the majority who are supportive. This book aims to reconsider vaccination as a phenomenon from the perspective of those who are «pro-vax», who actively support and vocally promote vaccines. Using contemporary and historical examples, the book explores public support of vaccination, focusing on civil society in action through activism, petitions, and trials.

Table Of Contents

  • Cover
  • Title
  • Copyright
  • About the author
  • About the book
  • This eBook can be cited
  • Dedication
  • Contents
  • List of Images
  • List of Boxes
  • List of Abbreviations
  • Preface
  • Chapter 1 Introduction
  • Controlling infectious diseases
  • Vaccine support
  • Chapter 2 Tracing Concern with ‘Pro’ and ‘Anti’ Positions
  • Scepticism and confidence
  • Defining and addressing hesitancy
  • Concentrating on anti-vaxxers
  • Pro-vaccine actors and stories
  • Chapter 3 Examples of Civil Society Support for Vaccination
  • Meningitis – a new vaccine for a feared disease
  • Measles and pertussis – pro-vaccine activism
  • Typhoid – an overdue vaccine
  • COVID-19 – developing vaccines during outbreaks
  • Chapter 4 Fostering Public Support
  • Online communication
  • Community champions
  • Chapter 5 Conclusion
  • Bibliography
  • Index
  • Series index

PRO-VAX SUPPORTING VACCINES THROUGH ACTIVISM, PETITIONS, AND TRIALS

Samantha Vanderslott

About the author

Samantha Vanderslott leads the Vaccines and Society Unit (VAS), hosted by the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford. She is a health sociologist and associate professor working on topics at the intersection of health and society. Her research currently focuses on public attitudes and decisions on vaccination, particularly in relation to pro-vaccination behaviours and vaccine acceptance.

About the book

‘With Pro-vax, Samantha Vanderslott opens a whole new avenue of research. This thought-provoking book will be a landmark for years to come as the research community moves towards a richer understanding of contemporary debates surrounding vaccination.’

– Dr Jeremy Ward, Chargé de Recherche, INSERM

‘Vanderslott’s book, Pro-vax, sheds light on the important dimension of positive activism around vaccination, which is against the tide of a challenging environment that she also considers in her thoughtful, well-written book.’

– Professor Heidi Larson, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, LSHTM

‘This book tackles a distinction we have taken for granted for too long: that between anti-vaccine and pro-vaccine attitudes. Building on her longstanding expertise in the history and politics of vaccination, Samantha Vanderslott provides a compelling account of pro-vaccine movements. By shifting our attention to those who express public support for vaccination, and away from those who do not, this book represents a unique intervention in both scholarly and political discourse. With its use of historical sources, images, and accessible language, the book will be invaluable for scholars of vaccination and vaccine advocates alike.’

– Assistant Professor Katharina T. Paul, Department of Political Science, University of Vienna

Vaccination is both a social activity on a grand scale and an experience that is very personal and individual. Add to the mix the understanding of vaccination in culture, the media, and others around us in society, and attitudes to vaccination become complex. For a long time, the concentration has been on attitudes to vaccination by those who are in opposition (the ‘anti-vax’), neglecting the majority who are supportive. This book aims to reconsider vaccination as a phenomenon from the perspective of those who are ‘pro-vax’, who actively support and vocally promote vaccines. Using contemporary and historical examples, the book explores public support of vaccination, focusing on civil society in action through activism, petitions, and trials.

This eBook can be cited

This edition of the eBook can be cited. To enable this we have marked the start and end of a page. In cases where a word straddles a page break, the marker is placed inside the word at exactly the same position as in the physical book. This means that occasionally a word might be bifurcated by this marker.

For Bary and Reuben

Details

Pages
XXII, 186
ISBN (PDF)
9781800794719
ISBN (ePUB)
9781800794726
ISBN (MOBI)
9781800794733
ISBN (Hardcover)
9781800794702
DOI
10.3726/b18362
Language
English
Publication date
2025 (January)
Keywords
Pro-vax activism trials petitions vaccine support
Published
Oxford, Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, New York, 2025. XXII, 186 pp., 38 fig. col., 7 fig. b/w.
Product Safety
Peter Lang Group AG

Biographical notes

Samantha Vanderslott (Author)

Samantha Vanderslott leads the Vaccines and Society Unit (VAS), hosted by the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford. She is a health sociologist and associate professor working on topics at the intersection of health and society. Her research currently focuses on public attitudes and decisions on vaccination, particularly in relation to pro-vaccination behaviours and vaccine acceptance.

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