Yearly Archives: 2014

Educating Children about Vaccines

An interesting new book aims to show children and young adults the value and importance of vaccinations.  I have often wondered how children and young adults understand vaccinations, and how this matters given their parents are the ones that are the “gatekeepers” to immunizations.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/10/13/355103460/a-polar-bear-might-keep-the-measles-away-but-shots-work-better?

The Social Movement to Increase Fast Food Wages

In addition to the alienating/dehumanizing aspects of working in the fast food industry, as noted by Marx, Weber, and Ritzer, low wages also prevent employees from fully realizing their human potential.  Here’s a look at the social movement to increase fast food workers’ wages:

http://mic.com/articles/98002/24-photos-of-fast-food-workers-across-the-country-fighting-for-a-decent-wage?utm_source=policymicFB&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social

 

 

Vaccines, Fist Bumps, & Coconut Water

I was recently interviewed by Richard Gordon, creator and host of Campus Voices at the University of Delaware, about my work on the rhetoric of anti-science.  Have a listen:

http://sites.udel.edu/campusvoices/2014/08/28/perezrhetoric/

Many thanks to Richard for allowing me to come on the air a second time (!), and to his new intern Sarah for her hard work throughout the interview.

UPDATE: a recent, timely discussion of the controversy surrounding anti-vaccine rhetoric in the media:

http://mic.com/articles/97628/an-anti-vaccine-truther-claims-there-s-a-cdc-cover-up-here-are-the-actual-facts?utm_source=policymicFB&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=social

UPDATE 2: more data on recent increases in preventable diseases among children:

http://mic.com/articles/98330/the-case-for-vaccinating-your-kids-in-one-alarming-chart

Environment and Health

I am teaching a new course this fall 2014 semester called “Environment and Health” (SOCI 367-011).  Here’s a brief description:

“Couched in the sociological perspective of popular epidemiology, this course shows students how both traditional epidemiology and citizen-science alliances are at the forefront of environmental and health issues.”

Have you ever heard of a community fighting against a refinery’s pollution?  How about communities that are literally on top of toxic soil?  What sorts of things, scientific and otherwise, are happening in these communities to address these issues?  If community-level health social movements, citizen-science alliances, the social construction of health knowledge, and ethics of sociological research interest you, come join us!