BibTeX

@inProceedings{hammarlin-etal-2021-vaccine-307227,
	title        = {Vaccine hesitancy – trust and distrust in medical expertise and authorities},
	abstract     = {The increase of vaccine hesitancy is singled out by WHO as one of the ten most important and urgent threats to global health (https://www.who.int/emergencies/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019). Diseases like measles are returning in different parts of Europe, partly as a result of the activities of the anti-vaccination movement. The herd immunity in most Western countries is high but even a small decrease in vaccination would have immediate negative effects for the population. Sweden offers a perfect site for future anti-vaccination studies due to its high vaccination covering. A decline in the numbers of children vaccinated has had immediate effects. For example, the incident rate in the country of pertussis rose from 700 cases to 3,200 cases per 100,000 children in 4 years due to a rather small decrease in vaccinations. This constitutes a strong argument for the civic importance of the case.

The aim of this presentation is to introduce a new 4-year research project (2020–2023), independently financed by the Bank of Sweden Foundation (Riksbankens jubileumsfond), with the goal to investigate the role and importance of rumouring for the vaccination skepticism growing on the internet, and how it can be understood as an expression of civic engagement in the present digital times entailing crucial transformations for everyday civic culture. Theoretically, the project builds upon, and develop, media researcher Dahlgren’s work on civic culture and Kitta’s studies of the anti-vaccination movement. The overarching research question is: How have the everyday practice and experience of, and the conditions for, rumours been shaped and reshaped in the digital age, and what do these processes mean for civic engagement and participation? The project will offer an understanding of how everyday interaction on the internet has a powerful impact on the spreading of false information, which in the long run may challenge democracy. On a more concrete level the project will answer the following questions in relation to the case of vaccine skepticism: How are rumours about alleged risks and dangers of vaccination propagated and established on the internet? Are there specific patterns and correlations connecting topics, assumptions, myths, argumentation schemes, popularity and time? What do everyday practices, on- and offline, of rumouring mean for its adherents’ civic engagement in the anti-vaccination movement? Which are the civic implications of the spreading and circulation of vaccination hostile rumours on individual citizens and society at large?},
	booktitle    = {8th European Communication Conference (ECREA)},
	author       = {Hammarlin, Mia-Marie and Miegel, Fredrik and Borin, Lars and Kokkinakis, Dimitrios and Jaakonaho, Anna},
	year         = {2021},
}